Project “Famous modern mathematicians”
(Great Britain, Russia, Yakutia)
Introduction
Project “Famous mathematicians” is a project designed for students to
investigate the greatest mathematicians as well as research some of the history of
mathematics. Students will use Internet resources to research as well as explain
the life and accomplishments of the mathematicians. Projects will be a web-quest
that has six total sections. Each section is to be colorful and creative with the
appropriate title. All information needs to be clear and detailed.
Task
Cooperating with your group, you must search the web for information
regarding famous mathematicians, answering specific questions about them. Each
group will have a specific set of questions to answer. These questions can then be
further divided among the group, as to narrow the focus of research. Finally, your
group will report your findings to the class using Power Point. In addition each
student will be responsible for a web-quest due on the date of your presentation.
The Process
The class will be divided into 4 groups. Each group will be assigned a set of
questions designed to familiarize the student with calculus.
Next decide who will answer which of the assigned questions. Everyone
should have an even share. Also, the group should come up with additional mathrelated questions to research, one for each member of the group. With these, try to
develop questions to which you sincerely want the answers. They should be neither
too vague nor too specific, as this would hinder the research.
Then split up and individually research your assigned questions, including
those which you’ve developed yourselves. Make notes and/or save your research to
a disk as you work.
As homework, each student will then prepare their section of a group web-quest.
The essay must answer the questions assigned to the individual and give reference
to the sources of these answers.
Also the essay should end in a concluding paragraph that attempts to summarize
what you’ve learned about math and how what you’ve learned is valuable to you.
Then, following a period of consultation allowing each group to collaborate and
decide on their means of presentation, each group will present their findings to the
class.
Here are several questions for your group to consider:
Who are these people?
Below are some mathematicians who are important to our studies. Follow
the links provided to learn about each mathematician. While you are reading
locate the answers to the questions. The questions will help students understand
the importance of each mathematician. Be sure to answer in detail.
Tim Berners-Lee
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Where and when was he born?
Write down colleges and universities he attended.
List 2 of his notable ideas.
Name 3 of his inventions.
How did he influence our world we live in?
What awards did he receive?
Use the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Berners-Lee
http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/
http://www.ted.com/speakers/tim_berners_lee.html
Vladimir Voevodsky
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Where and when was he born?
What is he know as?
What field of mathematics is he working?
What is the fundamental theorem of topology?
What conferences does he hold?
What did he write while working with Suslin and Friedlander?
What did he prove? Explain it in your own words.
What application has his discovery in mathematics? Provide an
example.
 What awards did he get for his contribution to mathematics?
Use the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Voevodsky
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/925666/Vladimir-Voevodsky
http://www.ias.edu/people/faculty-and-emeriti/voevodsky
Sergey Popov
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Where and when was she born?
What sparked his interest in mathematics? Explain.
What field of mathematics is he working?
What Olympiad in mathematics does he hold?
What are differential equations? What types are known?
What is the fundamental results did he achieve in mathematics?
Explain.
 How many scientific works did he publish? What authors is he
collaborating? When?
 What awards did he receive? What contributions?
Use the following links:
http://s-vfu.ru/content/div/1118/111802/PCV.php
http://www.mathnet.ru/php/person.phtml?option_lang=rus&personid=42122
Scoring Guide:
The scoring guide below breaks down the points available for each section and
individual component. In the teacher assessment column I will write the number
of points you have earned for each section and at the bottom of the column will be
total points you have earned.
Section
1
Title
Cover Page
Mathematicians
Info./Portrait
Your Info.
Return This Sheet
Total
Points
Available
15
Points
Earned
5
5
5
Teacher
Assessment
15
2
Family/Upbringing
Detailed/Informative
Quality
15
3
Schooling/Influenced by
Detailed/Informative
Quality
Contributions to
Mathematics
Detailed/Informative
Quality
15
15
5
Miscellaneous
Detailed/Informative
Quality
10
6
References/Thank you
References
Thank you
Neatness/Creativity/Organiz
ation
Neatness
Creativity
Organization
15
TOTAL POINTS
100
4
10
5
10
5
10
5
10
5
5
5
5
5
5
100