The
international networking project "Connecting Math to Our Lives"
will continue during the 2001-2002 school year. In this project
students are invited a) to explore how math is used in their families
and communities, and b) to use math skills to investigate community
or social concerns and the take action to promote greater equity
in the world around them. All ages and languages are welcome.
We hope you will join us!
Time
Line
Note: In the
"Connecting Math to Our Lives" Project Announcement you will
find more detailed descriptions of the suggested activities mentioned
below.
A new phase of the project may take place for Spanish-speakers
between April- September 2001. For information, about joining, please
write to: orillas-math@igc.org
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I. REGISTRATION
AND
INTRODUCTION
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September
- October 25, 2001
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1) If you
and your class would like to participate in the Connecting Math
to Our Lives" Project, please fill out a registration form and
send it to: orillas-math@igc.org
2) Write
an introductory message to share with the other classes in the
project, telling which of the math activities you are most interested
in. Send your message to orillas-math@igc.org
Suggestion:
Have the students in your class help you compose the introductory
message. Think of this message as a group "self-portrait", telling
who you are as a group, the strengths you bring, and what you
would like the other participants to know about your class. Also,
let us know which math activity you'd like to begin with. For
fun, try including numbers and other mathematical data in your
description e.g. including your latitude and longitude along with
the town in which you live. Be sure to tell us also what cannot
be described in mere numbers. Send this message to: orillas-math@igc.org
and we will share it with all the classes in the project.
SIGN UP FOR
A PARTNERSHIP WITH ANOTHER CLASS (OPTIONAL) by Oct. 25, 2001
Last year
a few teachers formed partnerships within the broader math project
to work together on one or more of the math activities. For example,
a class in Livermore, California created a sister class partnership
with a class in San Francisco so that the children could practice
their English- and Spanish-language skills. The two groups of
students planned a math activity together where they shared, compared,
and jointly analyzed data on the way people of different genders
and cultural groups are represented in the books in their school
and community libraries.
If you would
like to establish a partnership with another class, please indicate
this on your registration form. We will help you find a partner
(or small group of classes to work with) if possible.
Keep in mind
that an exchange with a partner class requires a commitment from
both sides and clear communication between the teachers when planning
a joint activity. We suggest that those who work with a partner,
use the month of November to get to know one another and to exchange
student writing or artwork from an initial math activity. At the
end of November send a summary (and/or examples of the student
writing) to orillas-math@igc.org so that we can all stay in touch.
At that point you can also decide with your partner teacher whether
you want to continue the partner class communication in December.
II.
CONNECTING MATH
TO OUR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES |
October
25 - November 15, 2001 |
Launch the math
investigation (using one of the activities described in the project
announcement or another activity of your choice). For example, these
descriptive activities could be a good place to start:
1)
"What Math Means to Me" (Product: A math collage)
2) "Everyday
Math in My Community" (Product: Report describing an interview.)
3) An Idea
of Your Own to Connect Math to Your Day-to-Day Lives and to
the Broader Society
| III.
CONNECTING MATH TO OUR LIVES
AND ISSUES OF EQUITY |
November
16, 2001- February 15, 2002 |
One of the goals
of the project is to help students see how they can use math to
analyze issues of importance to our society and to take action to
promote greater equity in their school or community. We invite you
to conduct a survey as a class to analyze an issue of interest to
the students. Or you may choose to carry out one of the activities
suggested in the project announcement:
1)
Statistics and Society (Product: Analysis of a graph or chart
showing statistical or numeric data on a social, political, scientific,
or environmental issue.)
2) Promoting
Equity at Our School Site (Product: Report on the actions students
have taken in their communities or schools to promote greater
equity, including a brief summary of the data and analysis on
which those actions were based.)
3) An Idea
of Your Own to Connect Math to the Broader Society and to Issues
of Equity. ** Important: Please send ALL messages to orillas-math@igc.org
so that we can make sure every class receives a copy of all
the messages sent.
** Important:
Please send ALL messages to orillas-math@igc.org
so that we can make sure every class receives a copy of all the
messages sent.
Finally,
each class will be invited to contribute to a jointly created
website.
We
look forward to hearing from you!
Enid
Figueroa, Gerda de Klerk, Kristin Brown, Tanesha Glover, Victor
Soria
On-line
Facilitators for "Connecting Math to Our Lives"
A PSR*TEC/De Orilla a Orilla/I*EARN-Orillas Networking
Project
P.S If
you would like a copy of the original project announcement in
English and/or Spanish, or a Spanish language version of this
time line, please write to orillas-math@igc.org
Please
copy the following form into an e-mail, fill it out, and send
it to
orillas-math@igc.org
Registration Form
for the Networking Project:
"Connecting Math to Our Lives" 2001-2002
Name of teacher
or student:
Age level
of students:
School
Name:
Mailing
Address:
E-mail
Address:
Telephone:
W:____________ H:___________ Best time to call________
Which activities
are you most interested in?
_____ What
Mathematics Means to Me
_____ Everyday
Math in My Community
_____ Statistics
and Society
_____ Promoting
Equity at Our School Site
_____ An
Idea of Your Own _______________________________________
In which
language(s) would you like to participate? _____________
What level(s)
of technology will you have access to? Regular mail?_________
E-mail?__________ Internet/WWW?___________
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----- SIGN
UP FOR A PARTNERSHIP WITH ANOTHER CLASS (OPTIONAL) ------
This year,
we will try to help those classes interested in working more
closely with a "sister class" to find a match. Would you like
to work with a partner class? Yes ____ No ____
Special
interests? __________________________________________________
Two reasons
why you and your class would be a good partner:
1) ____________________________________________________________
2) ____________________________________________________________
-------------------------------
OPTIONAL -------------------------
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