Frack This: Engaging

Students Mathematically
in Community Issues
Katie Hendrickson
KatieAHendrickson@gmail.com
www.katieahendrickson.com
NCTM 2014
What is social justice and math?
Teaching Math of social justice:
Place-based and connected to students lives
Teaching Math for social justice:
Math can be a gate-keeper
Helps students to read and write the world
Why teach math of/for social justice?
Helps students deepen understanding of society
Prepares students to be critical, active participants in a
democracy
Mathematics is a set of powerful tools for understanding the
world and society... and changing it!
Empowering to students
Makes math relevant; motivating
See Rethinking Mathematics by Gutstein & Peterson
Foundations of TMFSJ
Critical Pedagogy (Paolo Friere Pedagogy of the Oppressed)
Critical Mathematics Education (Marilyn Frankenstein, Ole
Skovsmose)
The Algebra Project (Bob Moses)
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy & Critical Race Theory (Gloria
Ladson-Billings)
Funds of Knowledge (Moll)
Discussion!
What does teaching for social justice mean to you?
Fracking
Southeast Ohio: more companies trying to obtain land rights
Hydraulic Fracturing: a method of obtaining natural gas
from underground shale using water, deep wells, and
pressure.
Concerns: Contaminates water with chemicals
Benets: Land owners receive money for leasing their land
name ______________________________ lracklng lnLroducLlon
WhaL do you know abouL fracklng? (WhaL ls fracklng? Where does lL happen? Who ls lnvolved?)


1. Pow do you Lhlnk maLh can be useful ln undersLandlng lssues llke fracklng?




2. 1here ls a good chance LhaL fracklng wlll come Lo ALhens CounLy. lf a company asks Lo puL a well on your
famlly's land, whaL wlll you Lell Lhem? Why?


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3. WhaL are 3 maln polnLs of Lhe arLlcle?



4. WhaL ls surprlslng Lo you?

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3. new and lmporLanL lnformaLlon LhaL helps me undersLand fracklng:



6. WhaL are Lhree quesLlons LhaL you have abouL fracklng?


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A5 Before fracking can take place, a hole must be drilled deep into the ground. A cylinder-
shaped hole is drilled and the earth is removed. Wells are typically 10,000 feet deep and
about 4 feet wide. How much earth is removed?


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"D How many gallons of water flow out of each well?

.D How many gallons of water are left in the well?

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.D How many gallons of chemicals are left in the well?



Fracking Reactions

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Q5 How can people use math to understand the world?
Fracking Presentation

You must prepare 2-3 slides presenting the following information:
1. One slide must have your question and your answer. Your answer may or may
not be the full answer to your question, but it should explain what you
discovered.
2. One slide must show or describe the math that you completed while
answering your question.
3. Optional: title slide with your name and question.

Things to keep in mind: you will be presenting this to your classmates, so your
audience is already familiar with the basics of fracking! Keep your presentation
focused on the unique part of YOUR project: the question you asked, and the math
that you calculated.

You will be graded on the following:
1. Math content (at a 7
th
grade level), such as proportions, percent change,
percent
2. Fracking information is accurate and easy to understand
3. Calculations are accurate and clearly represented
4. Information on the 2-3 slides is brief and informative