Applying Current Events to the Math Classroom

  

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Math should not only be taught as a real-world skill that we’ll use for the rest of our lives, but also as an illustration of its relevance to current events.

During this year’s VCTM conference, Michael Bolling, the Mathematics Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Education, said connecting math to current events was a challenge many teachers face. Bolling suggested that math teachers ought to take current events, like the recent events in Japan, and find a way to connect the events to math instruction.

With the earthquake in Japan, students can learn about the math behind the Richter scale to develop a stronger understanding of the enormity of the quake. An article from the Charlottesville Examiner observed: “Bolling began by citing the then 8.9 (since reevaluated to 9.0) magnitude of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami off the coast of Japan that happened earlier than morning. The Richter scale is based on a logarithm of base 10, meaning a 9.0 maginitude earthquake is 10 times stronger than an 8.0 quake, etc.”

As more news pours out of Japan, there will be more teaching opportunities, not just in mathematics, but in every subject. The New York Times has a nice round up of lesson ideas that they continue to update:

Teaching Ideas: The Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan

20 Ways to Teach About the Disaster in Japan Across the Curriculum

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