"But what does this have to do with anything?"
As bane of every Math teacher, and favourite fall-back phrase of every bored student, the above question is no stranger to modern classrooms.
But fear not, fellow educators! No cheeky students will leave you speechless or dumbfounded! Mathematics is a subject that can easily be applied to everyday situations and real life settings. When your students question what good fractions is, or why they have to learn to subtract, you will have plenty of examples to offer - some of which your students may one day secretly be thanking you for!
The best way to help students appreciate the all-encompassing nature of Mathematics is to build these real-life examples right into your lessons.
Asking a student to solve find 13% of 80 isn't going to excite your students. However, if the same question is modified to "how much in taxes will you spend on the new copy of Super Mario Odyssey ($79.99)?" you'll find students are much more curious to determine 13% of 80.
In other words, engaging students involves providing them with Mathematics problems that are more than likely to occur in their own lives. Any time those real-life scenarios apply to their interests, you've got a class that's twice as motivated than usual.
So let's take a look at some real life examples of Mathematics that students will find particularly helpful and relevant:
1. Around the holidays, ask students to create a Christmas wish-list with 5 items from Canadian retailers. Students must find out the price of each item, plus tax, and then add the price of these items up to find the total price of their "receipt". Students will be much more interested in calculating percentages when these percentages are of items that they are specifically interested in buying. Instead of listing things that students might like (ie., generic laptop, random video game, etc), allow students to determine those items on their own. It does not matter if the costs of their items vary from that of another students' - they are still learning to work with percentages whether the cost of their item is $20 or $499.99. Students will be learning how to be savvy shoppers one day, and they might even gain a little extra appreciation for all the shopping their parents will be doing over the holiday season as they see all the taxes add up!
2. Group students into tables of 4-5. Bring in small snacks for your students and act as a waiter or waitress for each table. Students can pay for the snacks using Monopoly money (or another faux currency), but when they receive the bill for their table, all the snacks purchased will be on one receipt. Inform students that they must use fractions or division to split up their bill evenly between all parties at the table, and they also must calculate the change that they will be given based on the monetary notes they use to pay with. Additionally, remind students that they must include a tip of 15% for their teacher (unfortunately also in Monopoly money). This will be great practice for when students get a little older and begin to go out to restaurants with their friends.
3. Ask students to design their dream home. They must create a floor plan of the first floor of the house, and every rooms' perimetre and area must be calculated for their architect's consideration. Inform students that the land they are building their house on is of a certain perimetre and they must ensure that their home fits within its area. Students can be permitted to design any kind of rooms they want (movie theatre, video arcade room, walk-in closet, secret laboratory, etc) as long as it fits in their yard.
Students will be able to recognize that these kind of Math activities are actually "real life" activities. One day students be responsible for their own shopping. They will have part-time jobs (more than likely in retail or dining) that require them to calculate totals for receipts, change given to customers or percentages saved during discount sales. They will visit restaurants, use taxis, receive haircuts, have their nails painted - all of which require them to calculate tips. One day they may be homeowners, deciding whether they can fit a swimming pool or flower garden into a specific area of their backyard.
And students know this. They will be able to see that these scenarios have practical use, and in their not-so-distant future, these Math lessons will save them from hurriedly searching for a "How To Tip Your Server" video on YouTube as their waitress approaches their table, receipt in hand, during their first dinner date.
When students are able to clearly see how Math encompasses so much of their daily lives, they are far more engaged and willing to learn. So remember to show your students how valuable and useable Mathematics can be. If you're lucky, you might never have to answer "but what does this have to do with anything?" ever again.
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Demme, Ethan (28 August, 2014). Math Road Sign [photograph]. Retrieved from https://demmelearning.com/learning-blog/welcome-to-the-real-world-math-in-action/
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As bane of every Math teacher, and favourite fall-back phrase of every bored student, the above question is no stranger to modern classrooms.
But fear not, fellow educators! No cheeky students will leave you speechless or dumbfounded! Mathematics is a subject that can easily be applied to everyday situations and real life settings. When your students question what good fractions is, or why they have to learn to subtract, you will have plenty of examples to offer - some of which your students may one day secretly be thanking you for!
The best way to help students appreciate the all-encompassing nature of Mathematics is to build these real-life examples right into your lessons.
Asking a student to solve find 13% of 80 isn't going to excite your students. However, if the same question is modified to "how much in taxes will you spend on the new copy of Super Mario Odyssey ($79.99)?" you'll find students are much more curious to determine 13% of 80.
In other words, engaging students involves providing them with Mathematics problems that are more than likely to occur in their own lives. Any time those real-life scenarios apply to their interests, you've got a class that's twice as motivated than usual.
So let's take a look at some real life examples of Mathematics that students will find particularly helpful and relevant:
1. Around the holidays, ask students to create a Christmas wish-list with 5 items from Canadian retailers. Students must find out the price of each item, plus tax, and then add the price of these items up to find the total price of their "receipt". Students will be much more interested in calculating percentages when these percentages are of items that they are specifically interested in buying. Instead of listing things that students might like (ie., generic laptop, random video game, etc), allow students to determine those items on their own. It does not matter if the costs of their items vary from that of another students' - they are still learning to work with percentages whether the cost of their item is $20 or $499.99. Students will be learning how to be savvy shoppers one day, and they might even gain a little extra appreciation for all the shopping their parents will be doing over the holiday season as they see all the taxes add up!
2. Group students into tables of 4-5. Bring in small snacks for your students and act as a waiter or waitress for each table. Students can pay for the snacks using Monopoly money (or another faux currency), but when they receive the bill for their table, all the snacks purchased will be on one receipt. Inform students that they must use fractions or division to split up their bill evenly between all parties at the table, and they also must calculate the change that they will be given based on the monetary notes they use to pay with. Additionally, remind students that they must include a tip of 15% for their teacher (unfortunately also in Monopoly money). This will be great practice for when students get a little older and begin to go out to restaurants with their friends.
3. Ask students to design their dream home. They must create a floor plan of the first floor of the house, and every rooms' perimetre and area must be calculated for their architect's consideration. Inform students that the land they are building their house on is of a certain perimetre and they must ensure that their home fits within its area. Students can be permitted to design any kind of rooms they want (movie theatre, video arcade room, walk-in closet, secret laboratory, etc) as long as it fits in their yard.
Students will be able to recognize that these kind of Math activities are actually "real life" activities. One day students be responsible for their own shopping. They will have part-time jobs (more than likely in retail or dining) that require them to calculate totals for receipts, change given to customers or percentages saved during discount sales. They will visit restaurants, use taxis, receive haircuts, have their nails painted - all of which require them to calculate tips. One day they may be homeowners, deciding whether they can fit a swimming pool or flower garden into a specific area of their backyard.
And students know this. They will be able to see that these scenarios have practical use, and in their not-so-distant future, these Math lessons will save them from hurriedly searching for a "How To Tip Your Server" video on YouTube as their waitress approaches their table, receipt in hand, during their first dinner date.
When students are able to clearly see how Math encompasses so much of their daily lives, they are far more engaged and willing to learn. So remember to show your students how valuable and useable Mathematics can be. If you're lucky, you might never have to answer "but what does this have to do with anything?" ever again.
