Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson students will start to have discussions and think about how some methods and ideas they were taught as students are not always necessarily ‘right’ or ‘better than’ other methods. The objective is to build this thinking up enough to use it throughout the next two lessons.
Lesson Outline
Introduction (15 mins)
Read May’s Hidden Algorithm story and try the finger multiplication method that May’s mother shared.
First discussion: How do we use our bodies in our lives naturally to measure the world around us? (10 mins)
- Discuss with the class what the students each found in the book using leading questions like the following:
- How did everyone interpret the story?
- Lead this into the discussion of the students having immigrant parents.
- Is it wrong for the students to be using a different method? Why or why not?
- Who is to say which method is correct?
- Who holds the power in a math classroom?
- By the teacher insisting on using one method, is she oppressing or harming anyone in the classroom? If so, who?
- Who does the oppression protect?
- How might the students being able to use other methods be helpful to their learning?
Second discussion: What are other ways, besides measurement that we use our body for math? ( 10 mins)
- Recall with the students the way they were taught multiplication.
- Show four other forms of multiplication from other countries:
- Chinese (Lattice Multiplication)
- Japanese
- Russian (“Russian peasant”)
- Greek
Assignment:
- Assignment: Pick one of the four other forms of multiplication shown in class. In your own words (or through your own drawing) explain how this method works.
- Write how you would compare the finger multiplication method to the one you were taught in school. Explain why you think it is or isn’t important to teach other methods in class. (500 words)
- Students can use the paper provided for reference.
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