Where To Go To Find Real Life Applications of Math.

 It is always nice to have a list of places to go to find real life math applications.  I don't always like the problems you find in the textbook because the problems seem almost contrived but if I can find problems with a real feel, I use them if at all possible.

This site has a list of links teachers can use to find real life applications for grades K - up to high school.  Since I work with high school students, I paid more attention to the activities for middle school and above.

One suggestion from math-kitecture is to create a floor plan of the class room using architectural methods to create it.  This activity requires estimation, measuring skills, proportions, and ratios to create a floor plan to scale before they utilize a CAD program to make the computer based one.  Teachers have sent in lessons plans that use the site create a dream bedroom or other things.

In addition, they offer lots of links to other activities such as skyscrapers, scale drawings, and area in home decorating.  The site also has students finding geometric shapes in regular buildings and structures.

On the other hand, this site focuses on uses of math within the construction industry,  It offers a variety of activities for different age groups.  For instance, the construction tool box contains 14 different sections from the introduction to a lesson dealing with acoustical ceiling lesson, to soil excavation to resources for teachers.

If you need to sneak some financial math in, check out this treasury site with several different lessons combined into one unit called "Money Math: lessons for life".  Some of the concepts covered in this unit include percents, data analysis, measurement, averages, reasoning, spreadsheet, and problem solving.  The first unit is on the secrets to becoming a millionaire, the second is on wallpapering a room,  the third is on money and taxes, while the fourth is on spreadsheets.  The lessons are set up with step by step directions so the teacher knows what questions to ask, what to have the students do and everything else that is needed.

There are also two links provided the send you to places to get ideas for mathematically based projects.  One is Math Motivation that offers 20 different projects  such as playing the stock market for gain or loss, or figuring out when professional athletes burnouts and so many more.  The other site, has possible projects like creating plans to do something to improve things in their community or see how things could change in the Olympics if the races are done differently.  The lessons have everything you need to run these projects.

This site is a portal to lesson plans created by teachers and university personnel in Pennsylvania.  They have a search engine to help you find lessons on specific topics.  I did a general search for middle school and high school level plans and came up with quite a few.  There were two lesson plans on the lottery.  One dealt with the chances of winning while the other and the cost.

I looked at the lesson on chances to see what it included.  It includes the standards, overview, materials, context, mathematical ideas, exploration, discussion, and extensions.  Everything a teacher needs to teach a lesson. There are also lots of illustrations to support the material.  There is also a student handout to accompany the lesson but you have to be a member of the community to access it but it doesn't cost anything to join.

If you are looking for some real life applications of math, check these out.  I know I plan to do some of these on those short weeks when you need something a bit different.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  have a good day.