Caution! Math at Work
	SNAPSHOT String, tin cans, coffee mugs, rulers, calculators, tape measuresÑwhat was going on in Mr. Boberg's class now? The principal, puzzled, sits down to watch as the students began to present their proofs of Pi. She had already seen the booklets that the students made for the younger grades, but this business with the strings and cans was new. UNIT OF PRACTICE Invitation How do students create their own understanding of mathematical laws? This unit invites students to discover mathematical principles, giving them the experience of understanding mathematical principles through applications in everyday life. Situation This unit takes place in the classroom, with students conducting independent research projects using the Internet. Tasks Students each choose a mathematician to study. They write reports which must include biographical information, an explanation of one important mathematical discovery made by their subject, and examples of how that principle is found in everyday life. Their subjects can range from Apollonius and Aristotle to Euclid, Ptolemy, and Pythagoras. Students may correspond with a math expert online. Student reports are published as illustrated booklets which get shared with younger students. Interactions Students may work alone or with a partner. Mr. Boberg's role is to help them with their research, locate online mentors and experts, and help students convert their work to Web pages. Standards This unit meets standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the National Council for Teachers of English. The math standards call for number meanings through real-world experiences and the use of physical materials; development of spatial sense; relate geometric ideas to number and measurement ideas; recognize and appreciate geometry in their world. Social studies standards call for programs that provide for the study of relationships among science, technology, and society. English standards suggest that students write across the curriculum; that students use a variety of technological and information sources; and that students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes. Assessment Students are graded on their papers, their proofs and their booklets written for the younger classes. Students who collaborate with online mathematicians receive extra credit. Tools The following tools support this unit: ¥ Computers equipped with Internet access ¥ Internet, the City; Encarta Deluxe; Ancient Civilizations Web Pack; Scholastic Network; Electric Library Classroom Edition; and ClickBook ¥ Eletronic Teacher's Guide active links to the sites referred to in this Unit of Practice Getting Started To teach a unit on mathematical history using the bundle software, you'll want to: ¥ Introducing the Internet: Use Internet, the City, to teach students how to conduct their online research. One way to do this is to set up the software on the classroom or library computer and allow students to go through the modules on the World Wide Web and e-mail on their own. Keep a checklist by the computer so you'll know who's gone through the modules. ¥ Student Research: In advance, you should explore the Ancient Civilizations Web Pack, Scholastic Network, Electric Library Classroom Edition, and Encarta Deluxe for sites and links appropriate to your students' topics. Create a DragNet file and place it on each computer the class will use for this project. The "How To...Access Information" section of this guide provides more tips for using the software in this bundle to make searching the Internet safe and efficient. ¥ Students should choose a mathematician to study. ¥ Publishing: Students will be writing their reports using a word processor and converting their text to booklet. It's a good idea to practice using ClickBook. ClickBook allows you to print your text in many different layouts, such as booklets of various sizes, brochures, and even mini-books. The "How To...Distribute Information" section of this guide provides more tips for using the software in this kit to publish your students' work. Internet Resources The Math Forum at Swarthmore College is a great site that includes lots of teacher and student resources. Take a look at Dr. Math! at http://forum.swarthmore.edu/. The MacTutor is a History of Mathematics archive maintained by the University of St Andrews in Scotland, at http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/. The MusiNum is an innovative site that explores the music in numbers, at http://www.forwiss.de/~kinderma/musinum/musinum.html.