Mathematical Literacy in the Middle and High School Grades

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

Future and in-service teachers see how to incorporate reading into mathematics content through a variety of well-researched approaches.

Educators get a well-rounded approach to the teaching of mathematics through the development of literacy skills. They benefit from the combination of the theory behind the variety of new strategies for teaching math and the practical, day-to-day, hands-on assistance provided.

Busy teachers save time on lesson planning with the book’s numerous high-quality, ready-to-use classroom activities that explore the relationship between mathematics and literacy—activities they can use “as is” or adapt to their own particular classrooms and student needs.

The need for extensive research into what books to incorporate is eliminated by the authors’ extensive bibliographies of prescreened books well suited for the mathematics classroom. (See chapters 3, 4, and 5)

Students and teachers benefit from the authors’ varied, wide-ranging experience and education in literacy, pedagogy, and mathematics. Together they offer a unique combination of skills and experience.

Faith H. Wallace, Ph.D., is a Professor of Literacy who specializes in bringing reading into the non-literature classroom. She is the author of a book on reading mathematics, and she has written a number of national peer-reviewed papers and presented at local, state, regional, and national conferences. A reading specialist, she has worked extensively with the University System of Georgia's Reading Consortium, helping support the diverse reading needs of Georgia's students. This has given her a wide-ranging knowledge of the professional development of reading teachers, as well as an understanding of reading in the content areas. Dr. Wallace has a particular research interest in reading in the mathematics classroom.

Mary Anna Evans is a licensed professional engineer, an experienced educator, and the award-winning author of the Faye Longchamp archaeological mysteries: Artifacts, Relics, Effigies, Findings, Floodgates, Strangers, and Plunder. Her education in physics and engineering, as well as her passion for reading and writing, has resulted in a dual career as a novelist who also writes on math and science education. When a cell phone drops from a tall tower in one of her books, yet is still functional afterward, the physics explaining why this is possible is feathered into the narrative accurately, yet so gently that the explanation reads as story, not as instruction. Math educators have recognized this attention to detail as an opportunity to bring reading materials that students enjoy, like mystery fiction, into the mathematics classroom. Ms. Evans speaks frequently on math and science literacy to both students and educators.

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