American Centuries

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American Centuries > Lessons > History Lessons By Teachers > A Cultural Math Lesson – Rum vs. Water

A Cultural Math Lesson – Rum vs. Water

Details

Author
Val Penniman
Topic/Subject Area
Manners, Morals, Ethics; Media, Periodicals, Communication; Science, Technology; Education, Literacy
Historical Era
National Expansion and Reform, 1816–1860
Grade Level
Elementary (K–5), Middle School (6–8)
Creation Date
Last Revision Date
2024

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About This Lesson

Summary and Objective

Using page 20 from “The North American Arithmetic” book by Frederick Emerson (Boston, 1841), students will understand that cultural aspects of society in 1840 appear in arithmetic problems of the time. They will then create a list of cultural aspects of fourth through sixth graders in the present day. Last, they will write modern-day arithmetic problems highlighting today’s culture.

Materials & Resources

Collection Items:

Teaching Plan

  1. Using page 20 from “The North American Arithmetic” book, give students a few minutes to read over the math problems. Then make a list of students’ comments, noting what is different and what is the same as today.
  2. Students and teacher read the problems together and solve them.
  3. Students work in small groups to make a list about what we can learn about people from the 1800’s by looking at arithmetic problems.
  4. The class meets to share the lists. Teacher complies whole class list on the left side of chart paper.
  5. Students brainstorm ideas about their present day lives that might appear in present day problems. Teacher compiles a list on the right side of chart paper.
  6. Students work in small groups to create two arithmetic problems:one showing present day culture and the other showing 1800’s culture. Students may want to write similar problems contrasting and comparing the differences. They can illustrate them in the manner used in “The North American Arithmetic” book.
  7. Students share problems with small groups, rotating until all have been included.
  8. As a followup, create a bulletin board showing math problems from the past and today. Sharing these problems with students in a younger class could also be done.