Math107 Math in SocietySpring 2009
Term Project
A term project is required of each of you. It should combine or connect an area of special interest to you and mathematics (preferably, the mathematics we will be doing in class). I am not necessarily looking for applications of the mathematics. Instead, I want to encourage you to reflect on what you have learned here and to create a vehicle by which you could share that experience with others.
Guidelines
1. Evidence of thoughtful effort in its preparation is both desirable and necessary. The project will be worth 100 points; I expect you to invest the time and energy required for 100 points.
2. There is no prescribed form or format; I am looking for creativity and am open to any suggestions you might have. I must approve your project before you begin.
3. The term project will be due on Tuesday, June 9, 2009. You will be required to present your project to the class in the form of a visual presentation board. Please note: the college community will be invited to view these projects.
4. A written document with bibliography should be included. This should explain what project you did, how, and why. This is a self-reflective paper based on your topic. The paper should not exceed five pages.
Learning Outcomes for this Project:
- Create a project which integrates the use of mathematics.
- Apply problem solving and mathematical modeling to real situations.
- Connect knowledge of reality to an expression of mathematics.
- Translate and illustrate using mathematical symbols and formulas.
- Clearly express concepts in both standard and innovative forms to an audience.
- Take responsibility for accessing and using a variety of sources for assistance in learning about mathematics
Project Criteria: The project is worth a total of 100 points. The topic contract is worth 10 points. I will use the following criteria to determine your grade for the remaining 90 points:
- Clear, logical progression is evident throughout the project.
- The project is correct.
- The presentation clarifies the topic to the audience and captures our attention.
- The presentation is thoughtfully planned, well-organized, and complete according to the main point(s) of the project.
- The paper and bibliography are completeand demonstrate personal growth and understanding of the topic.
Suggestions
Here are some possibilities for the term project. They are not intended to limit your thinking, but rather to suggest the range of options that are open.
1. If you are inclined toward creative writing, prepare a poem, a story, an essay, or some other piece of writing in which you use mathematics in a creative way.
2. Those interested in child development and/or teaching could reconstruct one of the chapters, which we studied to fit the needs and skill levels of a group of elementary school children.
3. There are many connections between music composition and some of the areas of mathematics we will discuss. A piece of music could be found and analyzed, or composed and played, that reflects these connections.
4. If the visual arts are your forte, a poster, a painting, or a sculpture reflecting the spirit of one of the topics would be appropriate.
5. If you enjoy home economics, a visual and/or edible project capturing the many forms of mathematics all around us could be possible.
6. If your interests lean to public relations or advertising, create an advertisement for a particular topic, selling an area of mathematics to the general public.
7. For those interested in psychology or sociology, a report on mathematics and individual or group perceptions of mathematics.
This term project is designed to encourage you to find connections between mathematics and an area of special interest.