Sunday, September 2, 2012

Write a letter to an elementary student.

For Chapter 1 Concept 6 (word problems with the basic operations), the WSQ summary question asked my Algebra 1 students (9th-10th graders) to write a letter to an elementary student about why math is important and why we need math to succeed in real life.  I got some interesting responses... some great and thoughtful, others not so much.  But, I thought I would share them here.   If anything, it gives me a little insight into my students' brains and feelings towards math.

I've tried to correct most of the spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc, but not everything!

  • dear little kid, you might want to keep on learning your math facts because you are going to hear this a lot but you need math your whole life! you use math for everything, paying, getting money, and how many miles your car gets to the gallon
  •  the basic about  math is important because you need math every were u go no matter what.You use math in different ways and almost for anything.Math is so important because you need to add and subtract multiply and divide you get a good job also when you use money you need to learn how to count money.
  • The reason that math is important in life is that, you use math everyday in life. Math will help you become a better and a smarter person. Math will help you throughout school and give you an advantage in college.
  • Hi kids ima tell you why math is so important in life and a little basic math facts. 1 is math is used in everyday life for example  if you go to the store and you wanna purchase something and its on sale you gotta know how much your really paying. 2 about the basics of math, math is very simple addition,subtraction,division and multiplication. If you can master all those that's a guarantee you'll understand math and why its important in life.
  • Math is really important in life math is everything. You need it to count money add subtract bills, even in the things you least expect it'll have math the angles the width the height everything is math even you are.Height body weight everything.
  • "Dear Elementary student, Math is really important because you well not know how to count money. When you go to a store or market and there's % off they well not know how much it well cost. Math is important because you need to know  how to count and other things. They can rip you off and you wont even know it."
  • Math is important in real life because first off without it you cannot graduate, and secondly because it is in 90% of jobs out there.
  • Hey elementary students "MATH" is very important because in life we will always be using numbers no mater what so never give up on math and always pay attention in class!!!!
  • it important because everything you learn when you get older has basic math. it has dividing, multiplying etc. the problems are just more complex. and if you learn the basic things you can learn how to do the harder thing little by little.
  • "Dear Student, Math is really important. Without math you will be nowhere in life. That why to school is making you take math. You use math in everything. If you want to became a doctor you need math. Math is used everyday you just don't know it. You need must know addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. If you want to be something gig in life you need to learn math and master it that's why math is important in real life.
  • dear kids,  Today you will learn 2+2=4 . You may not care now but in life you will need  it for in the future. Like gas,bills,money,food,and other things so learn math for life,                                                                                                     
  • No matter where you go, math follows you. You need math for money, buying things, taxes, crazy adult things like that. Basically math will be with you all the time.
  • "math is very important in life because you use it ALL the time, i mean ALL the time, when you shop, when you go buy food, you have to count your money? and if you don't know your math so well, sometimes you can get some money stolen from you ! 
  • Dear Elementary Student,  You might think right now that learning your math facts is a waste of time and you might not even need it. But, that is NOT true! It actually can make your life easier. It surrounds you thought out your life! For example let's say you want an ice cream and so does your friend, well in order to find out what your total is going to be, so you can have an idea. You have to add the two total cost and boom! There's the math you've been learning that is ""a waste of your time""Sincerely, 9th grader STILL using math "
  • "Dear elementary student, Math is important in life because later on in the future you will have to pay bills and in order to pay bills you will have to know some type of math. Also certain type of jobs have to do with math so you would have to know how to do math. Math might be very difficult, but if you keep trying, you will get it and succeed. NEVER GIVE UP ! Always try your best, ask for help, ask questions it helps you learn math for the future.
  • "Dear John, Learning your basic math is very  important in life because you need to know math in order to have a good job. It's important to know math when you're older because you may need to count money or some else that has to do with numbers. Math may be boring or lame but it's going to be very important to you when your older. That's why we get learn math cause we are going to need it when we get older.,,,
  • Well, I'll start by saying, no matter what your future job might be math is essential. Not just for jobs in everyday life, for example if you need to count your money and take some away for rent or other things, you need the basic skill of subtracting. Maybe as simple as raising the temperature on a stove you need to know how many more degrees you need to add. 
  • Math is very important in your life now and in the future. math will help you in your educational skills for school and life. this will help you become more smarter and more advanced in other ways. your skills in math are very important in real life for many reasons. and it may help you to get a good job in life when your all grown up. this is why math is very important in real life for you .
  • The basic facts that your going to need in your life is adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, your are ALWAYS going to in those things IN life and in school.. I know you guys are young and think math is 'boring' but it's not. Math is important because you are always going to have to use it like for example, you need it in your job, and in school. Math is a big part in your life , never slack at it.
  • "Math is needed in nearly every job from a high school summer job such as a cashier to an architect, math skills are always needed. Any job or employer prefers an employee who knows math well and is skilled at most aspects of math. . Math is the most common subject in life besides English . Math is an everyday tool. Like when you are at the store and you only have $100.00 and you have to see the total amount for the things that you get and if you don't have enough you would have to put some things back and come back and that is kind of why you need to know Math and this is why it is important in life  
  • Math is a very important subject in life.As you grow older in life you will have to deal with harder math.I suggest you really pay attention now when your start because when you get older it will be much more complicated as you go into higher grades.Math is in your everyday life.You will have to deal with problems such as adding,subtracting,multiplying and dividing.I honestly think math is hard at some points,but if you really pay attention then it will be a piece of cake.Right now you guys are probably learning how to do your time tables and if you think that is  hard,just wait till you get into junior high and high school you will have to learn new vocab words you will start multiplying by 3 digit numbers! Just prepare yourself kids and pay attention so you wont have to fall behind in class and come in during lunch when you want to be with your friends.Math is important in real life because it will help you with many situations such as if your friends owe you money or when you are paying for something and maybe the cashier gives you the wrong change you can just check your receipt and correct her. Kids Math will be hard be just make the best of it and try your hardest! :D"
  • "Dear student, Math is really important in real life because it will always be everywhere you go. For example, when you go to the store with you want to make sure they aren't overcharging you in price. Or maybe they will try to give you the wrong change if you don't know how to do math. Now I'm sure you don't want to loose money so learn math!
  • Learning your basic math is very important. Learning your basic math is very important because you need basic math to keep moving forward. And basic math carries on until all the way to high school. And also if you don't learn your basic math you will be falling behind in everything you learn when it comes to math. That's why learning your basic math is important."
  • To students who dislike math this is to you! Math is very important in someones life there not one day where math is not around us.Math in the future is very important because that when you will be paying bills,rent gas etc. so you have to now how to balance you money.Math can be tricky at time so its good to learn now than have problems later on.Later on in the future math is gonna be more required om jobs so its good to keep up with the system.

1 comment:

  1. Not many of the fun things that math allows you to do: build a house, create new sizes of a clothing pattern, create a model airplane, plant a garden maximized for yield in a given space. I have been thinking more today of the whys of math and how to connect it to the real world. This writing activity may be an excellent one for my freshman and sophomores.


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