PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Applicant Name: Douglas Harrington

Additonal Co-Applicants: Carol Machak and Thomas Cook

School or Organization Name: Athens High School

Project Name: Maker Education Mathematics

Address: Redacted

Phone Number: Redacted

Email Address: Redacted

Project Location: Athens High School

Dates of Project: 12/11/17 to 12/15/17

Amount Requested: $750

Executive Summary:
Please provide a brief summary of the project
Abstract: Students work in groups to create a Makey Makey invention recording all steps and

iterations for a purpose of their own choosing. Then, the board is hidden from view and

another group is tasked with identifying the actions to the controls. After this process, the

students analyze the maker process and extend this thinking to the context of mathematical

proof. Students discuss the merits of functionality, imitation, and creativity and their roles in

constructing viable arguments.

For more detailed information, please visit:

https://divisiblebytech.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/lesson-plan-makey-ing-a-proof-er/

Project Objectives:

1. Students will use technology (Makey Makey) to build a creation with a purpose of their

own choosing.

2. Students will reflect on the creative process to develop meaning around Maker Identity.
 3. Students will use their definitions of the creative process and maker identity to establish

a foundation for contextualizing mathematical proof its function and purpose.

Standards:

Common Core State Standards

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.CO.C.9,10,11: Prove geometric theorems.

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively specifically the ability to

contextualize and de-contextualize.

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4: Model with mathematics.

ISTE Standards

1. Empowered Learner: Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing,

achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning

sciences. (A) Students articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging

technology to achieve them and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning

outcomes.

4. Innovative Designer: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to

identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions. (A) Students know

and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative

artifacts or solving authentic problems. (C) Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part

of a cyclical design process.

7. Global Collaborator: Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their

learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally. (C)

Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities

to work effectively toward a common goal.

How will you determine whether your objectives have been achieved?
1. During Day 1: As students create in their groups, the teachers critical questions serve

as informal assessment of student understanding. The questions provide fertile ground

to gain and provide verbal feedback on student comprehension of the roles planning,

experimenting/creating, and revising occupy in the creative process. To be successful,

the teacher must circulate through groups efficiently.

2. End of Day 1: As a summary of the creation work, students will answer this question in

the form of an exit slip: Your group spent the greater portion of a class period creating

something new. How would you describe the creative process (i.e. steps, thinking,

phases, etc.)? This provides feedback which can be capitalized at the beginning of Day

2 to focus students on the key objectives. Students will be on track to reach the lessons

objectives if the following key terms are used: planning, experimenting, creating,

revising, function, collaboration, rebuilding, and role. These specific terms link back to

the critical questions of Day 1.

3. During Day 2: As the students work in groups, the teacher will listen for discussion

regarding creativity, functionality, and imitation. For creativity, the students should

process how creativity adds to the effectiveness of the prototype. For functionality,

students should think about why specific keys were given specific functions and what

that adds to the effectiveness of the prototype. For imitation, the students should

describe how the group used thrifted materials to create a recognizable prototype.

4. End of Day 2: The students will complete another exit slip this time with two parts.

First, students will be asked, What characteristics describe Maker Identity? Then,

students will be asked, What similarities and differences exist between the creative

process of a maker and the process of writing a mathematical proof? For the first

question, students should emphasize the complex relationship between planning,

creating, and revising specifically, that no set number or order of these phases exists.

These three actions should also be highlighted as important parallels to mathematical

 proof writing. Students should also discuss the role creativity and functionality occupy in

the proof writing process. The aim of the lesson was to create a working metaphor for

students to understand the role of mathematical proof while also emphasizing its

relevance and value.

How will you spend grant funds?

If awarded the grant, the funds will be spent on acquiring one classroom set (30) of the Makey

Makey hardware as well as additional alligator clips for connections. Some of the money will

also be necessary for shipping and handling fees.

If you are awarded a grant, please state how you will recognize the Troy Foundation:

If awarded the grant, I will be reflecting on the process and analyzing its outcomes on my

professional blog: www.divisiblebytech.wordpress.com. This action can bring exposure to the

foundation while also providing members of the community with the option to follow along with

the project. As a group, we will prepare a presentation to highlight student achievement data

and the projects impact on student growth and mastery of relevant content standards.

What type of group will be impacted by your proposed project?

One Grade/Team

Approximately how many students will benefit from your project?

250

How many staff or community members will benefit from your project?

17 department staff members

The number of affected community members is tough to predict in this case

PROJECT BUDGET
Be as detailed as possible. If a category does not fit, please put N/A.
Equipment:

699.95

Materials & Supplies:

19.99

Printing & Copying:

N/A

Other:

20.00

Total:

739.94

Please specify OTHER expenses:

Shipping & Handling

ADDITIONAL RATIONALE
Traditional high school mathematics requires high-level abstraction which can cause significant

intellectual roadblocks and misconceptions. This reality is illuminated by the Standards for

Mathematical Practice which emphasizes the importance of both abstract and quantitative

reasoning (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State

School Officers, 2010). Going further, research actually reveals that the deepest learning

opportunities are created when context provides access to abstract ideas. Therefore, the

technology in this lesson forms a bridge for students to master abstract mathematical proof.

Specifically, the Makey Makey provides the context to link the creative process and

mathematical proof. Abrahamson (2006), supported by Lakoff and Nunez (2000), suggests that

abstract concepts supported by sensory-motor experiences provide access to deeper

engagement and concept mastery. In light of this reality, multi-modal learning, which connects
perception and action to deeper abstract ideas, is foundational to successful mathematics

instruction (Mishra, 2012, p. 15). By, exploring connections between the principles of maker

identity and the foundations of mathematical proof writing in this lesson, space is created for

students to make these very connections. In some ways, the work with the Makey Makey

provides a tangible metaphor for the mathematical process. Through intertwining these two

processes, students gain deeper understanding of both.

Furthermore, using technology in this context provides other unique benefits for student

understanding. First, the Makey Makey triggers a collaboration spark, powered by a lack of

student familiarity, which makes collaboration compulsory and elevates student perceptions

about its impact on learning (Di Blas & Paolini, 2014, p. 65). In turn, every student voice is

valued and this specialization results in greater diversity of viewpoints in the learning

environment (p. 65). Furthermore, mobilizing technology in this way provides relevancy of

content which increases student engagement significantly (Culatta, 2013). Often, my students

lament the perceived disconnect between math concepts and their lives; however, this lesson

emphasizes that mathematical thinking extends far beyond classroom walls. Without the

technology, students simply are not afforded these opportunities.