What are people saying about Mathematical Literacy in the Middle and High School Grades?
Dave Barry says, “T his is the most interesting book I've ever read about using literacy skills to improve students' mathematical learning. Granted, it's also the only book I've ever read on that topic. But if I ever became a teacher, I would definitely employ the theories explained in this book. Of course, if I ever became a teacher, Western Civilization would be doomed, so I'll just settle for recommending this book to the actual professionals."
- Dave Barry is a Pulitzer prize-winning humorist and author, and for 25 years he was a syndicated columnist with the Miami Herald.
Paul George says, “ Educators have long known that literacy is a significant key to improving achievement in mathematics, but too little has been done about it that is directly and immediately helpful to teachers and students. This book is a long-awaited synthesis, fresh and remarkably practical. Since many thousands of middle schools, and hundreds of high schools now feature the organization of teachers and students into interdisciplinary teams, this book will make it possible for new collaborations between teachers on the same teams in ways that will not only strengthen mathematics instruction, but will facilitate teacher team collaboration in new and powerful ways. No middle or high school faculty should be without this important new resource."
- Paul S. George, Distinguished Professor of Education Emeritus, is a recipient of the National Middle School Association's Lounsbury Award for lifetime achievement in middle school education
How do you recognize math concepts when they are hidden in a story students will find engrossing? How do you develop and use hands-on activities to reinforce those concepts?
These questions and more are answered for middle and high school teachers as they work through and use the concepts and practical ideas presented in this illuminating new text. The book begins with an overview of the theory behind new strategies for teaching mathematics, then moves on to more practical matters, providing concrete assistance to today’s busy teachers—including a variety of ready-to-use activities they can use “as is” or adapt to fit their own particular classrooms and student needs.
Drawing from the experience of two diverse authors, each with her own perspective on the topics, the book provides solutions that couldn’t be accomplished through the efforts of one person alone. Together the authors communicate the theory behind teaching many varied subjects in mathematics through using literature as a tool. By incorporating the concepts and ideas in this book, in-service teachers can develop their own integrated lesson plans or learn how to develop similar plans on their own, ultimately coming up with a plan that enhances and enlightens students’ mathematics learning by incorporating a variety of texts into the math classroom and develops students’ literacy skills.
Future and in-service teachers learn how to:
- Incorporate reading into mathematics content through a variety of well-researched approaches.
- Develop a well-rounded approach to the teaching of mathematics through the development of literacy skills.
- Save time on lesson planning with numerous high-quality, ready-to-use classroom activities that explore the relationship between mathematics and literacy.
- Use a wide variety of text in their lessons by referring to the authors’ extensive bibliographies of prescreened books and other reading material well suited for the mathematics classroom.
Introduction
Why This Book and Why These Authors
How to Use this Book
Section I: Mathematical Literacy
Chapter 1. Exploring the Porous Boundary Between Doing Mathematics and Understanding Text
Introduction to Mathematical Literacy
Sidebar: Notes on Standards of Practice Used in This Text
Tiny Children Love to Count—Where Do We Lose them?
One Text, Many Lessons in Math Literacy
Co-teaching with Computer Educators to Enhance Word Analysis Assignments
Ordinal Numbers, Cardinal Numbers, Numerals, and Other Words Expressing Quantity
Geometry—The Shape of Things
A Question of Time
What’s the Likelihood of Finding Math in Your Pleasure Reading?
Looking for Mathematical Text in Your Student’s World
Classroom Discussion Questions for Artifacts
Helping Students Find Math in Unexpected Places
Lesson Plan 1-1: Interested in Getting Rich? --An investigation of simple interest, compound interest, and exponential functions based on Artifacts
References
Chapter 2. Reading Strategies: Making Meaning of Text
Introduction
How Does Reading Mathematics Differ From Other Kinds of Reading?
How Can We Help Students Make Meaning From Mathematical Text?
Prior Knowledge: An Experiment
Using Reading Activities to Enhance Student Understanding
Reading Guide: Alice in Wonderland
Lesson Plan 2-1: The Universal Book of Mathematics Vocabulary Squares
Lesson Plan 2-2: Red Blazer Girls Multi-Column Journal
Bibliography
Section II: Exploring Mathematical Text
Chapter 3. Introduction—Fiction and Mathematical Literacy: Finding Universal Truths in Made-Up Stories
Mathematics Is Everywhere, Even in Fairy Tales
Comments from the Classroom by Alyson Lischka
Finding Math Where You Least Expect It by Mary Anna Evans
Annotated Bibliographies - Fiction
Fiction Recommended for Middle Grade Classes
Fiction Recommended for High School Classes
Lesson Plan 3-1: The Wrong Ratio Can Be Deadly: An Investigation of Ratios based on Effigies
References
Chapter 4. Nonfiction: The Place Where True Stories and Mathematics Intersect
Introduction
Annotated Bibliography of Nonfiction Books Suitable for Middle and High School Classes
Activity Books
Reference Books
Concept Books
Biographies
Using Technology to Explore Other Nonfiction Formats
Textbox 1: One Blogger’s Perception of the Beauty of Math by Brent Yorgey
Annotated Bibliography of Mathematical Blogs
Nonfiction in the Math Classroom
Lesson Plan 4-1: “Grappling Over Grades” Anticipation Guide
Lesson Plan 4-2: Archimedes R.A.F.T.
References
Chapter 5. Picture Books: Where Math, Text, and Illustrations Collide
Introduction
Textbox 1: Cindy Neuschwander and Sir Cumference
Textbox 2: Fibonacci in Nature by Sarah Campbell
Activity: Sketching (or Eating) Your Way Through the Text with The Lion’s Share
Annotated Bibliography of Picture Books for the Middle and High School Grades
Lesson Plan 5-1 - Anticipation Guide for Reflections in Nature by Jane Yolen
References
Section III: Literacy and Mathematics in the Culture
Chapter 6. Poetry and Music: A Most Mathematical Approach to Words
Poetry
Math and Meter
Music
Math as a Springboard to Verbal Creativity
“Midsummer” by Mary Anna Evans
“the curvature of spacetime” by Johnny Masiulewicz
Poetry for Poetry’s Sake
Loving Words the Way Zero Loves One by Lola Haskins
Activity 6-1: Poetry Counts
Activity 6-2: Fractions, Poetic Meter, and Spoken English
Activity 6-3: Relating Vibrational Frequency to Pitch with Ratios
Activity 6-4: Rhythm and Language—Bringing Poetry, Music, and Mathematics Together
Activity 6-5: Catenaries, Large and Small—Visual Calculus
References
Chapter 7. Environmental Print: Math in Daily Life
Definition of Environmental Print
Where to Find Environmental Print
Ideas for Using Environmental Print in Class
Level 1: Practicing Problems
Level 2: Constructing Knowledge About Problem Solving
Level 3: Thinking Critically About Mathematics and Literacy
A Level 1 Example—Checking the Fine Print for Ways to Practice Mathematical Skills
A Level 1 Hands-On Activity: Find the Math in this Simulated Frequent Buyer Program
A Level 2 Example—Assembling Knowledge As It Pertains To Citizenship…The Impact of Polls on Elections
A Level 2 Hands-On Activity: A Poll Is Only As Good As The Questions Asked
A Level 3 Example—Think Critically About Research Studies: Do Statistics Lie?
A Level 3 Hands-On Activity: How Can Two Contradictory Studies Be True?
So what? Using math to make people care
References
Chapter 8. Mathematics and the Electronic Culture: Social Media, Gaming, and Reality Shows
Introduction
A Word About Constant Change: How Will You Deal With It Over the Course of Your Career?
Social media
Games and Their Relationship to Math
Simulation Games: The Algebra Connection
Arithmetic
Ratios and Rates
Linear Equations
Other opportunities to enhance literacy using computer gaming
Geometry in computer gaming
Television Reality Shows
Conclusion
Lesson Plan 8-1: Tweets that Go On Forever and Ever…
Lesson Plan 8-2: What Can Reality Shows Teach Us About American Electoral Politics?
References
Chapter 9. Conclusion
Chapter 10. Appendices
Appendix A: Selections from Artifacts
Appendix B: A Concordance of the Words Used in the Opening Passages of Artifacts, by Mary Anna Evans