Connecting Math to Social Studies

Social studies covers a diverse group of topics, including history, civics, maps, world cultures, and, of course, current events. These online resources offer lesson ideas on these topics, each highlighting mathematical skills and processes. You may decide that one of these ideas could work as part of an integrated project in your middle school program. Certainly, they open mathematics instruction to a wider range of topics.

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Links to Information on Number Systems http://mathforum.org/alejandre/numerals.html

Working on a project that connects math to ancient history? These sites, selected by a middle school teacher, cover topics about different numbering systems: Arabic, Chinese, Mayan, Roman, Greek, Egyptian, and Babylonian. MSP full record

The New York Times Daily Lesson Plan: Mathematics http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/mathematics.html

These lesson plans from the New York Times draw on real-world issues and statistics to connect math to current events. As an example, one lesson idea begins with statistics about gun injuries; students then convert these statistics to visual displays and a poster campaign about the dangers of guns in the home. Handouts are included as well as links to related Times articles. MSP full record

Mathematics of Cartography http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/pres/map/

This lesson begins with a definition and a history of maps and continues with discussion of related math topics—projection, scale, and coordinate systems. A select few math problems follow; for example, using web-based technology, students are asked to find the point on the earth at a maximum distance from their home. The lesson is supported with links to relevant sites, notes to teachers, career-related information, and a list of print resources. MSP full record

Annenberg/CPB: Cast Your Vote http://www.learner.org/exhibits/statistics/

This web site takes the class into a fictitious election campaign—an insider look at the mathematics behind polling and the statistics heard in newscasts. Concepts such as random sampling, margin of error, and confidence intervals are discussed, which may seem too abstract for the middle grades, but the presentation is easy to follow and the activities are "hands-on," at least virtually. Much of the material can be adapted for classrooms without computers, although one computer with access to the Internet would make the concepts come alive. MSP full record

Culturally Situated Design Tools: Teaching Math Through Culture http://www.rpi.edu/~eglash/csdt.html

What does the cornrows hairstyle have to do with transformational geometry? And Alaskan basket weaving with Cartesian coordinates? The applets on this site allow students to explore the mathematical principles embedded in the traditional designs created by Africans, African Americans, Native Americans, and Latinos. Standards-based lesson plans and other teaching materials support the applets. MSP full record

Multicultural Math Fair http://mathforum.org/alejandre/mathfair/index.html

This web site provides a collection of activities compiled by a middle school for use at its multicultural math fair. Included here are tips on how to set up the fair as well as worksheets. Each activity is described in both Spanish and English. Links to other online resources are provided, such as studying symmetry and patterns in Navajo rugs. A useful resource for planning multicultural math activities! MSP full record

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Copyright October 2006 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.