Math in Your Life

Overview:

This lesson helps students connect math to their daily lives. Many people think of math without thinking of its real life applications. It's not uncommon for adult learners to come up with answers for word problems that couldn't possibly be correct, simply because they aren't connecting math to real life situations.

In this lesson, students will build on the math strategies that they already know how to use, but that they may not be connecting to the math they do in school. They will develop their writing skills as they write about using math in their lives. They will also gain an understanding of word problems by writing and solving problems of their own. Finally, students will prepare for test-taking as they write and answer their own test questions.

Subject Matter

• Basic math (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions and percentages)
• Writing
• Test-taking skills

Students will be able to:

• Write simple math word problems
• Answer simple math word problems
• Answer multiple choice questions more accurately
• Critique multiple choice math tests

Standards
National Reporting Systems

• http://www.air.org/nrs/

Materials:

Basic paper, pens, and pencils are all that are necessary. If you want to do extensions with other math tests, you will need to find workbooks or other test materials.

Media Components

Thirteen/WNET's on-air adult education programs such as the math sections of GED CONNECTION, GED EN ESPAÑOL, the ITV program MATH BASICS, and others can all be used by teachers as media clips in lessons.

The following Web sites provide information, lesson plans, and activities on teaching math:

• http://literacynet.org/sciencelincs/
• http://math.rice.edu/%7Elanius/fractions/index.html
• http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/projects/ webunits/math/sport.html
• http://archon.educ.kent.edu/Oasis/Resc/Educ/ANTindex2.html

The Adult Numeracy Network's Web page contains information and links about teaching math to adults:

• http://www.std.com/anpn/

The following books provide information, lesson plans, and activities on teaching math:

• CONNECTIONS -- LIFE SKILLS MATHEMATICS, ed. Elizabeth Strauss
  Steck-Vaughn Company (1992)
  
  
• CONSUMER MATH SUCCESS KIT by David E. Newton
  J. Weston Walch (1983)
  
  
• FAMILY MATH by Jean Stenmark, Virginia Thompson and Ruth Cossey
  LHS Publications (1986)
  
  
• FEAR OF MATH by Claudia Zaslavsky
  Rutger University Press (1994)
  
  
• LIFE SKILLS MATHEMATICS AND MATHEMATICS FOR CONSUMERS by August V. Treff and Donald H. Jacobs
  American Guidance Services, Inc. (1992)
  
  
• MATH ANXIETY REDUCTION by Robert D. Haclanan
  H&H Publishing (1985)
  
  
• MATH IN THE SUPERMARKET by Larry Parsky
  Educational Design, Inc. (1994)
  
  
• MATH MATTERS FOR ADULTS -- FRACTIONS, DECIMALS AND PERCENTS by Karen Lassiter
  Steck-Vaughn Company (1993)
  
  
• MEASURE UP by Charles H. Kahn, Sylvia K. Herring, and Robert Tong
  Fearon, Janus, Quercus (1968)