Math in the Real World: Personal Math Research Project for STEM, Enrichment, or Early-Finishers

Personal STEM Research Project:

Each student chooses a topic of interest and answers a challenging math question about it after step-by-step mini lessons teach them how.

This research project can be used in many ways:

- As a whole class STEM unit with 7 mini-lessons (a great idea for Friday afternoons)

- As a year/term-long project for early finishers (no more copying extra math worksheets for every single lesson!)

- As an enrichment activity for a small group (for those students who are ready for an extra challenge)

The unit takes students through the step-by-step process using an example (how much water is needed to fill an ice rink for the NHL).

The 7 steps are:

o Topic: Help your students choose a topic and then narrow it down. This way your students will be invested in this project because it is about something that interests them!

o Question: Brainstorm questions about that topic that need math to be solved. Help guided your students to a question that will have more than one step to solve.

o Skills: Practice/learn skills needed to answer the question. Your students can use math websites like IXL, youtube videos, or their textbook to learn/review skills.

o Research: Complete research to find necessary information. Students will need to find science and technology information to answer many of their questions.

o Math: Put the skills and research together to find the answer!

o Present: Think of a creative way to present the solution to the class.

o Reflect: Take time to think back on the process.

Grades:

This project works well for intermediate/middle school aged students in grades 5-8. It could also be used in a high school special education classroom with extra support.

A total of 12 pages in PDF format.

Title Page and 7 steps (each explained in one or two pages)