Introduction The Task Process Extension Assessment Conclusion
The C and D Publishing Company has asked your class to participate in their Math Teen
Magazine Contest to create their new math magazine designed for teens, by
teens. We all know that math can be
very fun and exciting, and your goal is to share your enthusiasm for the subject
with other teens around the world.
In groups of three, students will design and produce a magazine
containing articles, puzzles, graphics and more. As an extension piece, your group will
also create a short presentation to promote your magazine.
Each group member will have a specific role
in this project. You can choose to
be Editor in Chief, Illustrative Designer, or Organizational Executive. To ensure that your group creates a
quality piece, you will edit your individual work together and your math
magazine will come alive. Be as
clever and creative as possible, but most of all have fun!
Begin by choosing one of the following
three jobs:
Next, browse through a variety of magazines
to get ideas for the magazine you and your partners will create. Pay close attention to the layout of the
magazines and notice the catchy titles of the articles. Notice the photos and other images that
make the magazines visually appealing.
STEP 1 –
GETTING STARTED
I.
Each
student needs to write four
articles. One must be at least four paragraphs in length,
while the other articles need to be between one and two paragraphs
long. You may choose from the
following topics:
a.
Self-Help
c.
Short
Biography of a Famous Mathematician
II.
Your
group will produce a minimum of two
different types of math puzzles to be included in the magazine. Be sure to include an answer key for
each puzzle. Your group may choose
from (but is not limited to) the following:
a.
Math vocabulary crossword
puzzle
b.
Cross-number puzzle
c.
Logic puzzle
d.
Decoder puzzle with a message
e.
Math brain teasers or
trivia
III.
Your
group will create a minimum of two
math-related artistic pieces to include in the magazine. Below are some
suggestions:
a.
Cartoon about math
b.
Advertisement that involves
math
c.
Song or poem related to
math
d.
Tessellation or symmetrical
picture
e.
Math optical illusion
f.
Anything else that is creative, appropriate
for school and related to math
STEP 2 –
INSTRUCTIONS AND RESOURCES
I.
Articles
·
The
longer article must be at least four paragraphs in length, while the other
articles need to be between one and two paragraphs long. All articles need to by typed and
proofread for mistakes.
·
Give
each article a title and be sure to include your by line.
·
Try to
include relevant graphics or photos with your articles.
·
Discuss the topics you plan to write about
with your partners to ensure that your magazine will contain a diverse
collection of articles.
If you choose…
a.
Self-Help
– you may, for example,
want to discuss test-taking strategies, study tips, or give advice on how to be
a successful math student. Use the
Internet resources linked below to research this topic:
iii.
Study Tips from Math
Students
v.
How to be a Successful
Math Student
b.
Math and Careers
– you must name and
discuss at least two careers which involve math. You can write an informative article or
you can interview people who have careers that have to do with math. Use the Internet resources linked below
to research this topic:
i.
Coolmath.com
ii.
Math.com
iii.
Careers in Math Theme
Page
c.
Short Biography of a Famous
Mathematician – include the following information: date
of birth, where he or she lived, and important contributions to the field of
mathematics. Use the Internet
resources linked below to research this topic:
ii.
Mathematicians
d.
Women Mathematicians – you may either write a brief biography of
a particular mathematician, or you can name several female mathematicians and
briefly discuss their contributions.
Use the Internet resources linked below to research this
topic:
ii.
Biographies of Women
Mathematicians
e.
History of Math
– you may want to write
about the mathematical contributions of a particular culture, or perhaps a
famous problem in the history of math.
You can also choose to explore a specific topic like the history of zero
or measurement. Use the Internet
resources linked below to research this topic:
iii.
Famous Problems in the History
of Mathematics
f.
Math in the Real World
– you should discuss
how we use math in our everyday lives.
You might want to mention things like balancing a checkbook, planning a
vacation budget, or using knowledge about percents to calculate sales
discounts. Use the Internet
resources linked below to research this topic:
ii.
Real
Numbers
iii.
What
Good is Math?
iv.
Webmath.com
II.
Puzzles
Think about what we have done this year in
class to get some ideas for this portion of the assignment. The resources below may be useful for
creating the two math puzzles. Only
use them to get some ideas – YOU ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO COPY what you find and put it in your magazine. Please type your work. Use puzzle making software if
possible.
b.
Math Goodies Puzzle
Library
III.
For
the two artistic pieces, use any resources at your disposal. Explore computer software like Tessellmania and Geometer’s Sketchpad. Look through different magazines to get
ideas and think about what you can do to make your magazine visually
attractive. Feel free to go beyond
the requirements and create more than just two items. Ask yourselves what you can do to make
your magazine hold the attention of your teen readers. Be clever and
creative!
STEP 3 –
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Once you and your partners have completed
all of the items above, the next phase is to create the finished product. Review the job descriptions to see what
your specific responsibilities are.
Indicate the job of each group member somewhere in the magazine. Hand in a quality piece of work that you
all are proud of, and make sure it appeals to your audience. Give your magazine a catchy name that
grabs people’s attention. Remember,
you want teens to read this magazine, so design it with them in mind. Make it colorful and fun. Be sure that you include a bibliography
page giving credit where it is necessary.
You may use the Landmarks Citation Machine website to help you get the
formatting of the bibliography done correctly.
The final step is to promote your group’s magazine. You will need to put together a short presentation (5 minutes or less) for C
and D Publishing’s Evaluation Committee and try to convince them that your
magazine is the best one out there.
The goal is to persuade them that your group deserves to win the Math
Teen Magazine Contest. You and your
partners should create one of the following to promote your
product:
Note: If your group chooses to make a
television commercial you will need to find a video
camera.
Tell the committee members why they should
read your magazine – how is it better than the work of your competitors? What can the readers learn from your
magazine? What makes it unique and
interesting? The presentation
itself should be creative and attention-grabbing. Use your
imaginations!
Each group’s magazine and presentation will
be evaluated by the committee so they can choose the winner of the Math Teen
Magazine Contest!
Assessment will be determined by the
teacher based upon the extent of the research and the quality of the magazine
and presentation. The criteria for evaluation will be used by the students as
they self-evaluate their final product and the contributions of the group
members. A printed assessment
rubric will be given to each student at the beginning of the project. The rubric includes both individual and
group responsibilities.
So how excited can you get about Math? Choose to write about topics that
interest you and feel free to have some fun in your presentation. Turn in quality work and be proud of
your group’s efforts.