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Lesson Plan Title: Ethno-mathematics
Subject: Geometry (Bryce Cramer, B.A., M.S., MSDE Certification, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School)
Description: Once a week, over a 4-week period, students will use class time to research the geometric
thinking of other cultures. Each student will present his or her findings during Global Solidarity Week.
Students will also write essays explaining how a greater understanding of another culture’s mathematical
thinking can help promote peace and justice in the world. The paper will be two pages, double-spaced (about
500 words long) with a reference page. The presentation will be 7 to 10 minutes.
Objectives: (2 to 3)
Students will explore the geometric thinking of other cultures through art and architecture. Students will be
tasked with finding a piece of geometric art or architecture that is special to a culture other than their own.
They will then create a presentation discussing the importance of the piece to the culture. They will conclude
the project by writing a paper discussing how a greater understanding of another culture’s mathematical
thinking can help us promote peace and justice in the world.
Materials Needed:
• Access to the Internet and/or libraries for research
• Word processing and presentation software
Opening Activity/ Introduction:
Our understanding of mathematics is largely a product of our culture. We are inheritors of western
mathematical models formalized starting with the ancient Greeks, and continuing through European and
American history. But not all mathematical thinking has or needs to follow this formalization.
Ethno-mathematics is the study of the math of other cultures. For 4 weeks, students will become ethnomathematicians.
Activities/Procedure:
Week 1:
1. Day 1: Lab time—Students investigate cultures and art/architecture of those cultures.
2. Day 2: Students submit proposals for three cultures/art ideas (in order of preference) for continuing their
investigation (this allows for variation in the presentations).
Cultural Examples:
• Chinese
• Japanese
• African
• Native American
• South American
• Indian
•
•
•
•
•
Pacific Islander
Turkish
Israeli/Jewish
Hindu
Muslim
Week 2:
1. Teacher reviews student proposals and makes final assignments (this allows for variation in the
presentations).
2. Students research their assigned culture.
Questions to consider for the paper and presentation:
• What is the culture? How is the art/architecture important to the culture?
• What is the history of the culture and the art/architecture?
• What geometric thinking goes into the construction of the art/architecture?
• Does the culture’s geometric thinking of the piece match ours—or is it different?
Week 3:
1. Lab Day—Students work on presentation
2. Papers are due
Week 4
Teacher schedules presentations. Students turn in presentations the day before they present. Students make
presentations to the class.
Project Evaluation:
See attached rubric.
Review: Highlight terms and ideas you want to review with the students at the end of the lesson.
Homework/Assessment/ Evaluation: Note any in-class assessments, projects, and/or homework that you will
be assigning to students to go with the lesson. Ideally include the rubric for grading.
References are required. Students who do not provide references will receive a zero. Please review the school’s policy on
plagiarism. Presentation must be in the student’s own words.
Categories
Does your presentation answer the following questions?
Cultural History
How old is your culture? When did your culture exist?
Is your culture still in existence? Does it have a present-day people?
Where did/does your culture exist?
Any additional noteworthy information about the culture
Art History/Meaning
How old is the artwork?
What is the cultural significance of the work?
Additional information:
Does the piece have a name? If so, what is it?
Did the art originate with your culture or is the art shared with other
cultures?
Does your culture still make pieces that resemble the artwork?
Geometry
What significant geometry goes into the art/architecture?
(shapes, symmetries, tessalations, frieze patterns, construction)
Additional information:
How does the culture view the geometry?
What methods does the culture use to construct the art/geometry?
Does the culture view the piece with the same mathematical thinking as
we do?
Did you include visuals of the artwork/architecture and of the geometry
involved?
Are you able to field and answer additional questions about the
geometry/culture?
Does your presentation seem prepared?
Is your presentation within time limits?
Does your presentation use electronic media?
Reference page included at end of the presentation
Total
Possible
Points
5
5
5
5
5
15
5 per
15
5 per
15
5
5
5
5
120
Points
Earned