INSIDE THE MATH CLASSROOM:

Vidya Chow, Sixth-Eighth Grade teacher, Queens College School for Math, Science and Technology (PS/IS 499), Queens

The state standards encourage teachers to create realworld math lessons so that students understand the concepts in practical terms. In my small school I sometimes get the opportunity to teach the same kids for three years, so we build relationships. Math activities rooted in reality stick with the students like nothing else. I’ll say to them a year or two later, “Do you remember how we did this before?” and they do.

When I got a new dog, for example, I had to figure out which wee-wee pads to buy. The kids had seen pictures of the puppy and wanted to hear all about it, so I turned my problem into a lesson for my seventh graders. I said,

“You’ve got to help me here. I have two different brands of wee-wee pads. One offers free shipping, one has a bulk discount — what do I do?”

We always use the same protocol to approach any math task: understand the problem, devise a plan, execute it, look back/review, and extend.

They immediately asked me questions to understand the problem. How big is your dog? Do you want big pads or smaller ones? What is the size of each pad? Then, working in groups, they researched the brands, wrote equations to figure out the price per pad, cost per square inch, and discounts, and developed arguments in favor of their recommendations.

It ended up being a three-day project covering multiple topics essential to the seventhgrade math standards: solving multi-step

problems, using rational numbers, determining unit rates and discounts and using proportions. Every now and then I’d put up a new picture of my cute dog to keep them engaged.

Sample questions:

Students will complete 51 multiple-choice questions on the 2017 exam, as well as 10 open-response questions requiring them to demonstrate mathematical methods.

1) Lehana and Marty each opened a savings account with a deposit of $100. Lehana earned 2.5% simple interest per year. Marty earned 2% simple interest per year. Neither of them made additional deposits or withdrawals. How much more did Lehana receive in interest than Marty after three years? A. $0.50 B. $1.50 C. $5.00 D. $15.00

2) What is the value of the expression / ÷ (-.35) A. - 75

41 B. - 32

21

3) A home-improvement store sold wind chimes for $30. A customer signed up for a free membership card and received a 5% discount off the price. Sales tax of 5% was applied after the discount. What was the final price of the wind chimes? Show your work.