Math Anxiety

Mr. Yeates & Mrs. Weatherup

North Syracuse Junior High School

jyeates@nscsd.org

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

When you walked into our math classroom, how did you feel? Were you comfortable and feeling good about yourself or were you feeling uncomfortable? If you were feeling uncomfortable, why were these feelings being felt? This uneasiness can be defined as “math anxiety”. This uneasiness can be caused by many different things which results in lack of success in the math classroom.

 

 

TASK:

 

Your job is to define as a group what math anxiety is. Give examples to support this definition, find out what causes math anxiety, and come up with a solution on how to over come it. The class will de divided up into groups. Each group will give a presentation on what they found by creating a powerpoint presentation. 

You will use the six steps to Public Policy Analyst ( PPA) as a guide for your project.

 

 

PROCESS:

 

Step1: The class will be divided up into groups of 4 or 5. The groups will be determined by Mrs. Weatherup and I. Each member of the group will be assigned specific responsibilities. They are:

 

Project Manager(PM): This person is responsible for the overall presentation. He or she will be responsible for the editing of anything written and the presentation itself. The PM is responsible for the group meeting all deadlines.

 

Research Coordinator(RC): This person is responsible for collecting the information from each group member and keeping it organized.

 

Technology Coordinator(TC): This person takes the lead role in creating the presentation with input from team members.

 

Presenters(P): This person or persons will give the presentation.

 

 

RESOURCES

 

Go to step 2 of the PPA to gather the evidence of the problem of math anxiety.

 

Use worksheet #2 to complete this step.

 

Websites to visit:

 

 

 

 

Go to step 3 of the PPA to identify the causes of math anxiety.

 

Use worksheet #3 to complete this step.

 

Websites to visit:

 

 

 

 

 

Go to step 4 of the PPA to examine the existing policy of math anxiety.

 

Use worksheet #4 to complete this step.

 

Websites to visit:

 

 

 

Go to step 5 of the PPA to develop solutions of math anxiety.

 

Use worksheet #5 to complete this step.

 

Websites to visit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to step 6 of the PPA to select the best solution for math anxiety.

 

Use worksheet #6 to complete this step.

 

Websites to visit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

EVALUATION

 

You will be evaluated on the quality of your Power Point slide show and your oral presentation. Creativity and originality is the difference between a 3 and 4 in the grading process! Use color and graphics and be sure the slides are clear and font size large enough to be read by audience.  I will be using the rubric below to evaluate your presentation.

 

 

 

Performance

Excellent

5

Good

4

Satisfactory

3

Needs Improvement

2

Completion of Worksheets

 Fully understand the social problem, its causes and public policy that arose from it, and fully completes worksheets

Good understanding of social problem, causes, and public policy.  Completion of worksheets

Satisfactory understanding of social problem, causes, and public policy. Substantially completes worksheets.

Minimal understanding of social problem, causes, and public policy.  Failure to complete worksheets

Completion of Power Point Presentation

Full completion of 6 power point slides with pictures, graphics and meaningful text

Professional looking power point presentation, with 6 slides, plus some pictures, graphics, and meaningful text

Completed power point presentation with some pictures, graphics and meaningful text.

Partially completed power point presentation.  Absence of sufficient pictures, graphics, and text.

Oral Presentation (power point)

 

Full presentation of power point slides.  Each group member presents one or more slides.

Good presentation of power point slides.  Two out of 3 group members present slides.

Satisfactory presentation of power point slides.  1 of 3 group members present slides.

Presentation of power point slides.

1 of 3 group members present slides.

Organization

Group worked together on all projects and handed in signed group summary .

Group worked together on most projects and handed in signed group summary.

Group worked together on most projects but failed to hand in group summary.

Group did not work well

        A= 20-17              B= 16-14              C= 13-11              F= 10-1

 

 

CONCLUSION 

 

Math anxiety affects us all at one point or another. We will examine the causes of math anxiety and come up with solutions on how to handle it so that everyone can be more successful in math.

 

 

STANDARDS

 

TECHNOLOGY:

 

      Standard 2: Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies

 

Standard 7: Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.

 

ELA: 

 

Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

 

MATHEMATICS:

 

G.CN.1

Understand and make connections among multiple

representations of the same mathematical idea

 

G.CN.2

Understand the corresponding procedures for similar problems  mathematical concepts

 

G.CN.3

Model situations mathematically, using representations to draw conclusions and formulate new situations

 

G.CN.6

Recognize and apply mathematics to situations in the outside

world

G.CN.7

Recognize and apply mathematical ideas to problem situations

 that develop outside of mathematics

 

G.R.4

Select appropriate representations to solve problem situations