Making Math Meaningful

Making Math Meaningful

Windy May Susan Love

Martin Institute Conference

Windy May wmay@pdsmemphis.org

pds5thgrademath.blogspot.com

Susan Love slove@pdsmemphis.org

How do we make math meaningful?

• Relate math to the real world – how they use it and how they apply it– Writing about the process of math– Describing the components of each process– Video explanations– Using statistics from sports to teach skills– Students as teachers– Teachers as Facilitators

Writing about the process of math

• Rough draft/Peer editing/Teacher conferences/Final answer

• Always have a writing component in assessments• Reflections on their own work after grading

homework, ”checking ins,” and tests.• Similes• Geometry• jingle for prime and composite numbers

Math and Music can be fun!

An Example of A Reflection Sheet

Comma in Numbers

Examples of Mathematical thinking in Writing

• Explain the difference between a rectangle and a trapezoid

• Is a square always a rhombus? Explain.• Claim/Support/Question Chick Fil A Parking• If a number ends in zero, it will always be

divisible by what numbers? Be certain of your answer and tell me why. Think of the divisibility tests we have used many times.

Examples of Mathematical thinking in Writing

• Do all right triangles have complementary angles? What makes you say that?

• Could a diameter also be called a line of symmetry? Explain.

• Are points considered a zero dimension if points make up lines and lines are one dimension?

• Explain the process of borrowing when you subtract 2,345 from 5,000.

• Teach the process of subtracting mixed numbers when borrowing is necessary.

Examples of Mathematical thinking in Writing

• a) 5.6 x 7.78 = n or b) 7.78 x 5.6 = n Will you get the same answer for both of these

problems? Which one do you think will be easier to solve? Is there a property that allows you to solve multiplication in any order? If yes, what is the property? Explain your answers to each question and solve the problems.

Video Explanations• Math explanations via podcasts and imovies• Flip The Classroom• Videos teaching multi-digit multiplication• Voicethreads solving for variables

Examples

– Podcast by Fifth Grade boys to explain different things we have done in the classroom.

– How To Videos – Teaching about fractions.

Using statistics from sports to teach skills

• Fantasy Football

• Grizzlies

Stat SheetGRIZZLIES VS CLIPPERS 5/9/12

OJ MAYO

MADE ATTEMPT FRACTION DECIMAL SHOOTING % POINTS 2PT 3PT 2PT 3PT

Fantasy Football

Fantasy Football

Fantasy Football

Fantasy Football

Fantasy FootballName:___________________Your Team:__________________Week_____ 1. Quarterback for your team:_____________________

I would like you to find the completion percentage for your quarterback.Comp/Att = decimal (Go all the way to the ten thousandths and round to the thousandths.)Change the decimal to a percent.

2. Quarterback for the other team:_____________________

I would like you to find the completion percentage for the other quarterback.Comp/Att = decimal (Go all the way to the ten thousandths and round to the thousandths.)Change the decimal to a percent.

Fantasy Football

• In fantasy football, Johnny is awarded 0.12 points each time Tim Tebow makes a completion. If Sam made 4.32 points during the game, how many completions did he make?

• McNabb had 38 attempts to throw the ball in his game on Sunday. He had 28 completions in those 38 attempts. What is his completion percentage during this game?

Grizzlies

Students as Teachers

• More than explanations – grading the papers– Suzy Smarty Pants– Random Guy– Big Head Johnny– Sammy Smarty Pants

Suzy Smarty PantsYou will be grading a test taken by Suzy Smarty Pants. Shecompleted her test in 15 minutes, which was 20 minutes faster thanher peers. When asked if she checked her work she replied yes withher fingers crossed behind her back. She didn’t show all of her workeither. You will quickly realize that she is racing to be the first finishedwhile sacrificing quality work. She told her classmates that she wouldreceive the highest grade in the class. Please be thorough whilegrading her work. She will not be able to learn from her mistakesotherwise. Also, remember the steps to giving her her grade. First,multiply the number wrong by 3.5 points. Then subtract that productfrom 100 to find the difference. If at this point, there is a decimal inthe grade, please round to the nearest whole number.

Teachers as Facilitators

Teachers as Facilitators

I Used To Think/Now I Think

Take some time to think about how you can make your math class meaningful. After seeing our presentation today we would like to know your thoughts.

You used to think… But now you think…

Thank you so much for coming!