February 27, 2008
Addressing Diversity in the Mathematics Classroom with Cultural Artifacts
Danwal Singh Neel
Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. Vol. 11 No. 2 September 2005
This article addresses the question of how to teach mathematics to all learners, regardless of their diversity. The author describes a class project where the students were required to use cultural artifacts to both explore their culture and mathematical ideas. This assignment was labeled the SCAMP project. (Story about a Cultural Artifact from a Mathematical Perspective) The project was divided into four sections and students could work alone or in pairs. In the first section students chose an item that captured their interest. The second section the students investigated and researched the mathematics behind their object. In the third section students created a math problem based on their chosen object. The last section students wrote a story, song, or poem that is central to their artifact. Students chose items from pizza to Mah-jongg. Through the project, the students learned mathematics using their diverse gifts, interests, and challenges.
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