Math

Resources by Discipline

 

MATHEMATICS

Mathematics is often excluded from discussions of using popular culture in the classroom. However there is a wealth of resources out there that not only provide examples of mathematics in popular culture (which could be shown in class and used as a discussion platform) but also many resources for specific ways to incorporate popular culture in the mathematics classroom. In addition to using popular culture to teach and spark interest in the actual curriculum content of mathematics, popular culture would be a great way to invite students to think about what the nature of mathematics. A lot of research in the field has been done concerning the role of beliefs about mathematics in the classroom; certainly it would be beneficial to get students to analyze their own beliefs and look with a critical eye at some of the stuff out there. In a algorithm-driven test-heavy society, we need help getting the students to understand that math is so much more than just numbers.

 

WEBSITES: MATHEMATICS IN VARIOUS MEDIA

• Television show "Numb3rs" 

• A guide to Mathematics in the Movies

• Mathematics in Futurama

• Mathematics in The Simpsons

• Math Comics: http://www.simonsingh.net/Mathematics_Cartoons.html , http://www.mathcartoons.com/fogelfroe.html,      http://www.trottermath.net/humor/cartoons.html

• Mathematics in Music:

  • "That's Mathematics," Tom Lehrer, Lyrics Alone; sung with "Funny Math Problems" 

  • "New Math," by Tom Lehrer--Look closely at the process involved in this subtraction problem. Is it really as complicated as he makes it seem?

  • Rhythms and Ratios 

  • Songs for Teaching Math

  • "Math is a Wonderful Thing," by Jack Black 

• Mathematics as Art:

  • M.C. Escher, http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/escher/, http://www.josleys.com/articles/printgallery.htm

  • Art and Architecture 

• Sources for Number Activities

  • National Geographic Interactive Consumption Calculator

 

WEBSITES: CURRICULUM AND LESSON PLANS

• The Simpsons
• Numb3rs

• Stand and Deliver
• Donald in Mathmagic Land
• Lewis Carroll
• Math Sports Project

 

BOOKS (mathematics as popular culture)

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• Sir Cumference books

• Lasky, Katherine, The Librarian who Measured the Earth

• Scieszka, Jon, The Math Curse 

• Tang, Gregory, The Grapes of Math

  

ARTICLES about teaching with Popular Culture and Media in the Math Classroom

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BOOKS about teaching with Popular Culture and Media in the Math Classroom

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• Appelbaum, Peter. 1995. Popular culture, educational discourse, and mathematics. Albany NY: State University of New York Press.

 

RADIO/PODCASTS

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• A look at how Mathematics pops up in shows like The Simpsons and Numb3rs. This, or portions of it, could be used as a discussion platform for a higher-level Mathematics course: are we really mathematical beings? Do we see such reflected in our view of mathematics?
• This American Life, "What's in a Number?" 

   

ONLINE VIDEO, SHORT FILMS & MOVIE CLIPS

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• "Mathematics, an Inconvenient Truth" What are this woman's beliefs about Mathematics? Do you agree or disagree? (This could also be a great prompt to invite students to create a video response and post it on youtube, thus encouraging students to participate in this ongoing dialogue.)
• Tom Lehrer singing, "New Math" What are the singer's beliefs about Mathematics, and specifically how Mathematics should be taught? What lines from the song reveal his beliefs?
• "The Ride"  A good, interesting source with good potentials for interesting calculations. Consider, for example, unit conversions. 
• How Stuff Works Video Channel

 

 

EXAMPLES OF STUDENT-PRODUCED RELEVANT WORK

• "I Know All About Math" 

• "Math Rules"  Some parts are pretty cheesy and not useful in the classroom, but this might be a good source to show students examples of how they might use mathematics in a pop culture related project.