Math

ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY SCHOOL
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT

MATH

To earn the Certificate of Merit in Math, you must successfully complete five activities listed below.

1. Create a book of a minimum of 15 math word problems about Pasadena or your neighborhood. Include types of problems that students in your grade level can do (no more than 3 problems per concept for third grade and up). Your book should include a nice cover and be bound together in some way. Be sure to supply an answer key.

2. Interview a person who uses math regularly a part of his/her profession. Tell what he/she does and how he/she prepared for the job. Prepare and write at least 10 questions. Record your interview subject’s answers. Then write a closing paragraph about what you learned about their career and their use of math in their career.

3. Research an important mathematician. Present the information in one of the following ways:

A) Give an oral presentation assuming the role of the actual person, sharing bits about his/her life and mathematical discoveries.
B) Make a display highlighting the person’s life and contribution to the field.
C) Make a pop-up book designed to inform and entertain a younger person. Your project should include a bibliography that lists at least two sources.

4. Read a math related book (e.g. Math for Smarty Pants) appropriate for your grade level. Write a one page explanation of some examples from the book. Tell about how the book may teach a math concept differently than a class math textbook.

5. Conduct a survey and complete section A (2nd grade), sections A and B (3rd-4th), sections A, B, and C (5th-8th).

A) Record your results and present the data using a spreadsheet or two different types of graphs.
B) Survey a different group and compare results.
C) Calculate and display the mean, median, mode, and range for both surveys.

6. Help a lower grade teacher with her math class for one week. Open only for grades 4-8. Keep a journal and have that teacher sign that you completed the assignment.

7. Prepare a lesson to present to your class using the board, handouts, or visual aids. Choose a challenging concept for your grade level and prepare a lesson. Write out a step by step plan on how to present it to your class. Meet with your teacher to discuss your plan. Then present it. When you are finished, have your teacher write a brief comment on how the lesson went and sign it.

8. Create a book of at least 6 estimation activities that students in your class can do and create one estimation poster (e.g. glue macaroni, draw a jar and color it so it looks full of marbles, etc.).

9. A project of your choice. Please check with your advisor before beginning.