It All Adds Up to Your Future!
It All Adds Up to Your Future! - targeted to seventh and eighth grade students - is an extension of INFORMS educational outreach program. This eleven minute video was awarded a 3rd place (Honorable Mention–Science, Technology, and Travel Category) at the October 1995 43rd Annual Columbus International Film and Video Festival: "the Chris Award". It concentrates on the practical applications of mathematics in solving real-world problems in airline scheduling, traffic simulation, recycling, and so on.
Four middle—schoolers initially voicing doubts about "needing math" are finally convinced that everything they do requires math and also that it can be "phun". This special, which draws on real-world applications of math (airline scheduling, traffic flow simulation, and recycling efforts) is fast-paced and highly entertaining - a must for teachers! The cast is drawn from an actual middle school, and it is well-represented with minority and female students.
Generous support for this endeavor was provided by The Conference Board on the Mathematical Sciences and Management Consulting + Research, Inc.
Resources on the Web for Middle School Students
As the video shows, math is fun, exciting, and useful! There are many sites on the web that show the fun of mathematics. Here are a few for students and teachers:
- This is Mega-Mathematics Problems in coloring maps, knots, logic, and much more. Aimed at teachers.
- Math Forum Used by everyone from middle school students to university professors. Includes the ever-popular Ask Dr. Math! for clear answers to hard problems.
- Learning Middle School Math Assistance in general math, practice with math functions, assistance in the area of Geometry, Data and Statistics, Algebra and Equations, and Fractions.