Social Justice Math
Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.
-Brian Tracy
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Below is a sample of Nichole's work. Access the sites below for details and examples of Social Justice Math.
Data Analysis - Crime in St. Paul
The was used as my first unit of the year, Central Tendency. Blue boxes with white text are a signal for academic language use. Students know they will be expected to speak, either to a partner or tablemates or in a whole group discussion.
Check out the complete unit here!
Proportional Geometry - US/Mexico Border Wall
To build and ascertain background knowledge, students noticed and wondered about this image. Students commented on size, fields, rows, shapes, landscape. They were shocked to hear that these were prototypes of possible designs for the U.S. Mexico Border Wall.
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Check out the complete unit here!
Circles - Food Deserts
Link to image and website information
The areas in red represent the most vulnerable locations around the Twin Cities while green represents the least. Neighborhoods indicated as being extremely vulnerable have high poverty rates, little to no access to personal vehicles, and marginalized populations.
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Check out the complete unit here!
Proportional Relationships - Smoking & Vaping
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Data from TheTruth.com (a national youth tobacco prevention campaign) was used to teach proportional relationships virtually. Students learned how big tobacco targets Black, LGBTQ, and lower economic communities. Students were able to use current smoking and vaping facts to plot points, calculate slope and create equations.
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Check out the complete virtual unit here!
Applying a Mathematical Lens to Socially Charged Issues
It's sometimes necessary to pause what we are doing in class. When the insurrection of January 20th occurred, I guided learners to apply a mathematical lens to this emotionally charged issue. Students engaged in conversation with others who may not have had the same viewpoints. This activity was used again after the murder of Amir Locke and in another setting to discuss the banning of BIPOC & LGBTQ+ books.
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Here are some examples:
Keeping Money in the Community Math Task
It's imperative to teach Financial Literacy in grades K-12. This image was used in a third grade lesson teaching students the importance of keeping money in the community.
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Check out this task here!