Multi-GenreProject

Linking mathematicsto ohio history

Tina RussellKent State University

Spring 2011

Prologue:What’s math got to do with it? Many times students believe that math is irrelevant.

Through the study of Ohio history, the students will learn the significance of math, not only in

social studies, but in everyday life as well.

Usually in the fourth grade, students still think math is fun. While they are in this

formidable year of their education, they will learn through the study of social studies, and Ohio

history is particular, that math is also very useful. It is my hope that by introducing math in the

social studies classroom, students will make those connections that are critical to deeper

understanding of and appreciation for math. Too often opportunities are missed by educators to

assist students in deepening their understanding by integrating subjects between classrooms.

That is the focus of this multi-genre project: to help students realize that math is relevant and

necessary in everyday life.

4 th Grade Ohio Academic Content Standards Addressed:

Social Studies:History:Chronology

1. Construct time lines with evenly spaced intervals for years, decades and centuries to show the order of significant events in Ohio history.

Settlement 2. Describe the earliest settlements in Ohio including those of prehistoric peoples.

Geography:Location

1. Use a linear scale to measure the distance between places on a map.3. Describe the location of Ohio relative to other states and countries.4. Use maps to identify the location of major physical and human features of Ohio including:

a. Lake Erie;b. Rivers;

c. Plains;d. The Appalachian Plateau;e. Bordering states;f. The capital city;g. Other major cities.

Movement 10. Use elevation, natural resource and road maps to answer questions about patterns of settlement, economic activity and movement.

Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities:Participation

1. Describe the ways in which citizens can promote the common good and influence their government including:

a. Voting;b. Communicating with officials;c. Participating in civic and service organizations;d. Performing voluntary service.

Mathematics:Measurement Standard:Measurement Units:

3. Identify and select appropriate units to measure: a. perimeter – string or links (inches or centimeters). b. area – tiles (square inches or square centimeters).5. Make simple unit conversions within a measurement system; e.g., inches to feet, kilograms to grams, quarts to gallons.6. Write, solve and verify solutions to multi-step problems involving measurement

Data Analysis and Probability Standard:Data Collection: 2. Represent and interpret data using tables, bar graphs, line plots and line graphs 3. Interpret and construct Venn diagrams to sort and describe data.Statistical Methods: 8. Use range, median and mode to make comparisons among related sets of data

Table of Contents

1. Text Set2. Magic Math Square3. License Plate4. Diary Entry5. Greeting Card6. Venn Diagram7. I Am Poem8. Product Choice Chart9. Timeline

10. Newspaper Article

The repetend (not the repeating portion of a decimal in this case) throughout this project links mathematics to Ohio history.

Books as ReferencesText Set

1. McKellar, Danica. (2008). Math Doesn’t Suck. NY: Penguin Group, Inc.

Do you dread doing math homework? Panic at the thought of a pop quiz? Or are you just bored to death by the subject? Don’t’ sweat it – help is here! In this runaway best seller, actress and mathematician Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years, The West Wing) proves that math can be

easy, relevant, and even glamorous, and gives you the tools to ace your next test.

2. Weeks, Philip. (2003). Buckeye Presidents: Ohioans in the White House. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press.

Only two states can claim the title, “the Mother of U.S. Presidents” – Ohio and Virginia. Fifteen presidents have hailed from either Ohio or Virginia, and one president, William Henry Harrison, is attributed to both states. The other seven men from Ohio who have piloted the United States from the White House are Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren G. Harding.

3. Lerner, Marcia (1995). Math Smart Junior: Math You’ll Understand. NY: Random House, Inc.

Being too hot can lead people like Sondra, Jennifer, and Taylor to do strange things, like approximating how many leaves are on the oak tree they’re sitting under, or figuring out how to make HUGE quantities of lemonade. As you follow these kids and their fat cat friend Beauregard around the neighborhood on a hot summer day, you’ll learn: approximation, rates and averages, fractions and decimals, geometry and algebra.

4. Zurcher, Neil. (2008) Strange Tales from Ohio. True Stories of Remarkable People, Places, and Events in Ohio History. Gray & Co., Publishers.

Ohio is “the Mother of U.S. Presidents” with 8!

Learn why residents of Blueball, Ohio, erected a monument to a pig. Witness the birth of the Inflatoplane (an inflatable airplane, of course) in Akron, and revisit Ohio’s last public whipping, near Dayton. Read about the Funeral Home Museum, the Curse of Leatherlips, the world’s first recorded automobile accident, the oldest Revolutionary War veteran cemetery, rootbeer, the man who invented disposable diapers . . . A treat for anyone who enjoys discovering the real wonders of the Buckeye State!

5. Willis, Patricia. (1997). Danger Along the Ohio. NY: Avon Books.

In 1793, three siblings (Amos, 13; Clara, 12; Jonathan, 7) are separated from their father during their immigration, via flatboat, down the Ohio River from their Pennsylvania home to a new beginning in the Ohio wilderness. After an Indian attack, the three are left with no adult support, scant supplies, no transportation, and a cow in tow to journey along the dangerous Shawnee side of the Ohio to the safety of the Marietta settlement.

6. Tang, Greg. (2004). The Grapes of Math. NY: Scholastic Paperbacks.

How is it possible to count a complicated pattern of strawberry seeds or grapes on a vine or camel humps--in a blink of an eye? If children can open their minds to new ways of perceiving math, anything is possible! Greg Tang shows readers creative ways to use patterns and combinations of numbers to solve math puzzles quickly and effectively. Rather than laboriously counting 24 mushroom slices on a pizza, Tang suggests: "Let me give you some advice, / Just do half and count twice." And in adding the number of dots on a fan: "Instead of seeing groups of threes, / Count by fives and it's a breeze!"

7. Schonberg, Maria. (2002). Cardinal Numbers: An Ohio Counting Book. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bears Press.

This colorful and richly informative pictorial teaches children about numbers and math concepts by using people, places, and things specific to Ohio as examples. As the elementary-aged students begin to grasp these concepts, they learn more and more about their state in the process.

8. Schonberg, Maria. (2002). B Is For Buckeye: An Ohio Alphabet Edition. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bears Press.

Did you know that Ohio is called "The Mother of Presidents" because eight United States presidents were born there? Or that 23 astronauts - the most of any state- are from Ohio? These and more amazing facts are revealed in "B is for Buckeye," a must-have for every Ohioan (from Ulysses S. Grant to John Glenn to Harriet Beecher Stowe).

9. Murdock, Eugene. (2007). Ohio: The Buckeye State, An Illustrated History. Bantam.

This book beautifully illustrates the history of Ohio.

10. Glenn, John. (2000). John Glenn, a Memoir. Bantam. Astronaut-turned-politician-turned-astronaut John Glenn's memoir is simply told, not terribly reflective but enormously compelling: an Ohio boy grows up to become the first American to orbit the earth, takes a shot at the presidency but misses, and triumphantly returns to outer space as a senior citizen and national hero.

While the text set was a requirement of this project, I really enjoyed creating it and it is a great resource for teaching mathematics and Ohio History.

Magic Math Square:

1 8 0 3

Use this template to create a magic square where all the rows, columns and diagonals add up to the same sum. Use numbers 1 – 16, and use each number only once!

1803 – an important year in Ohio history – the year it was granted statehood!

The inspiration for this genre came to me because math boxes are a fun way to play with numbers. The more practice students have in working with numbers, the more comfortable they will be with mathematics.

1803 – the year Ohio was granted statehood.

License Plate:

BKEYE ST

This inspiration for this genre came to me because I remember how challenging and fun it was to create these license plates in my reading and writing course. To incorporate math into this genre, I would ask the students how old Ohio is since we know that it was ‘born’ in 1803. This will provide practice in subtraction and mental math skills.

1851 - Current Ohio Constitution adopted

Diary Entry:

 

I will put down a few of my present hopes and designs for the sake of keeping them safe. I do not intend to leave here until about a year after I graduate, when I expect to commence the study of law. Before then I wish to become a master of logic and rhetoric and to obtain a good knowledge of history. To accomplish these objects I am willing to study hard, in which case I believe I can make, at least, a

am a public man I will never do anything inconsistent with the character of a true friend and good citizen. To become such a man I shall necessarily have to live in accordance with the precepts of the Bible, which I firmly believe, although I have never made them strictly the “rule of my conduct.” –Thus ends this long dry chapter on self.

I was inspired to create this diary entry because I love to journal events and feelings in my own life. I found this quote while researching Ohio history on the Ohio History Central website.

1903 - The Wright Brothers, first in flight

Greeting Card:

Greetings from the greatprairie of Ohio!

We arrived safely aftera very long journey

and it is beautiful here.

I was inspired to write this greeting card because one of my favorite things to do is send cards to people to let them know I am thinking about them.

1958 - State motto becomes “With God all Things are Possible”

Venn Diagram – comparing Ohio in 1803 and 2011

1803 2011

Travel by horse and wagonTravel by car, plane, boat,train

Farming

Hunters and gatherersPurchase food at grocery store

Here is the start of a basic Venn diagram, which is a great tool to use when making comparisons. I chose this genre because this visual will help students see the differences and similarities in our great state, comparing 1803 to the present.

1816 - Columbus named state capitol

I Am Poem:

I Am A Number

I am a numberI wonder why students don’t like meI hear them complaining about me I see how important I am andI want them to see it tooI am a number

I pretend it doesn’t really matterI feel like I’m everywhereI touch all kinds of surfaces yetI worry they will forget how to use meI cry, “I can make things easier for you.”I am a number

I understand why they get confused I say take it one step at a timeI dream of the day students will love meI try to wait patientlyI hope they give me another chanceI am a number

I chose this genre because writing poetry can be a challenge for most students, but writing an I Am Poem makes the process manageable. It is fun to see what creative ways students can express ideas through this genre.

1870 - Ohio State University founded

Product Choice Chart

Construct a graph or design a chart relating to one of the inventions we have studied in Ohio History

Create a bumper sticker about Ohio History that is clever and catchy and summarizes an aspect of Ohio History that you have learned

Write a diary or journal entry describing one of the events we studied in Ohio History

Draw a cartoon or comic strip describing one of the events you studied in Ohio History

YOUR CHOICE!Discuss with the

teacher how you can show comprehension

of this topic

Create a photo essay of Ohio History events and/or people, making note of the significance of those events and/or people (use the Internet for photos)

Write an I Am Poem from the point of view of one of the presidents or inventors you learned about in Ohio History

Create a poster about major events and/or people in Ohio History

Give a talk to the class about one event/person you learned about in Ohio History

While the Product Choice Chart was a required genre, it is one I would most definitely use in my classroom. I really like that it gives the students choice in which products they will complete.

1969 - Neil Armstrong of Ohio becomes first man to walk on the moon

Timeline of Ohio History

Date Event1787 Ohio becomes part of Northwest Territory1788 Marietta – Ohio’s first permanent settlement1803 Ohio admitted to the Union as the 17th state

Chillicothe is named state capitol1804 First university in Ohio - Ohio University in Athens

1810 Zanesville named state capitol1816 Columbus named state capitol1832 Ohio and Erie canals completed

1840 William H. Harrison from Ohio elected president1851 Current Ohio Constitution adopted1861-1865 Civil War1868 Ulysses S. Grant from Ohio elected president 1869 W. F. Semple of Ohio patented chewing gum

1870 Ohio State University founded1870 Benjamin Goodrich opens rubber plant in Akron1876 Rutherford B. Hayes from Ohio elected president1878 James Ritty of Ohio developed first cash register 1880 James Garfield from Ohio elected president1888 Benjamin Harrison from Ohio elected president1898 Henry Timken of Canton developed the roller bearing

1803 – 2011 Ohio History: We could not keep track of it without math!

1891 John Lambert of Ohio City made America’s first automobile1903 The Wright Brothers, first in flight

1908 William H. Taft of Ohio elected president1911 Charles Kettering invented first automobile self-starter1917 World War I – about 6,800 Ohio soldiers killed1920 Warren G. Harding from Ohio elected president 1923 Garrett Morgan of Cleveland invested first traffic light 1938 Roy J. Plunkett of Ohio invents Teflon1941 World War II – about 20,000 Ohio soldiers killed1958 State motto becomes “With God all Things are Possible”1962 John Glenn from Ohio becomes first American to orbit the Earth1969 Neil Armstrong of Ohio becomes first man to walk on the moon1998 John Glenn (at age 77) becomes oldest American to travel into space

I chose a timeline because it is a clear visual to see the sequence of events. It is particularly interested in Ohio history, too, because we have had a number of presidents and inventors from Ohio. I would have students construct a timeline and ask questions such as: How many U.S. Presidents have come from Ohio? and How many different inventors were from Ohio?

Travelers endured many hardships to reach their

destination. The pioneers were isolated on their farms

which were often a distance of a few miles from any

other families. Thus, tired travelers were never turned

away when they approached a pioneer's cabin toward

evening. They always found a welcome, even though

there might already be a guest for every puncheon or

bedstead. There was still "room for one more," and a

wider circle would be made for the new-comer at the

large fire. If the new-comer was in search of land, he

was doubly welcome. His host would volunteer to show

him all the "first-rate claims in this neck of the

woods," going with him for days, showing the corners

and advantages of every "Congress tract" within a

dozen miles of his cabin.

1841 VOL. #1 ISSUE #1

Settlers Endure HardshipsYet there is always room for one more.

Resources used:

Quote from Rutherford B. Hayes’ journal from: http://www.ohiohistory.org/onlinedoc/hayes/quotes.html (3/11/11)

Magic Square: http://www.allmath.com/magicsquare.php (3/11/11)

Greeting Card image from:

http://www.arts.ok.gov/p/permart/paintings/wcooper/dugoutsoddy.jpg (3/11/11)

Information for newpaper article: http://ohauglaize.ancestralsites.com/life.html

States and territories map: http://annexx51.wordpress.com/pr-101/territorialism-in-the-u-s-maps/012-states-and-territories-of-the-united-states-of-america-july-4-1800-to-july-10-1800/

I am a number – numbers picture from: http://library.indstate.edu/tools/tutorials/topten/numbers.jpg

http://www.blackenterprise.com/files/2010/07/numbers.jpg

Travelers endured many hardships to reach their

destination. The pioneers were isolated on their farms

which were often a distance of a few miles from any

other families. Thus, tired travelers were never turned

away when they approached a pioneer's cabin toward

evening. They always found a welcome, even though

there might already be a guest for every puncheon or

bedstead. There was still "room for one more," and a

wider circle would be made for the new-comer at the

large fire. If the new-comer was in search of land, he

was doubly welcome. His host would volunteer to show

him all the "first-rate claims in this neck of the

woods," going with him for days, showing the corners

and advantages of every "Congress tract" within a

dozen miles of his cabin.

88 – the number of counties in Ohio