any ideas/resources for a decimals/fractions/percents unit asking “how can numbers help us to understand the challenges that children face around the world?”

[Kirsten Morozov]

Hi all,

Anyone have any ideas and resources for a decimals/fractions/percents unit asking “how can numbers help us to understand the challenges that children face around the world?”

The teacher says that her idea, so far "is for [the students] to find statistics (in decimal, fraction and/or percent form) relating to the lives of
children and find creative and meaningful ways of communicating the
information. For example, they could create a photo image to depict the
proportion of children affected by HIV/AIDS (the idea being that a
figure like 20% doesn’t mean much but a photo of 1 child affected out
of a group of five would have more of an impact).


The UN Cyberschoolbus and other such sites are useful, but any other ideas are most welcome.

Thanks!

[Mary Mehsikomer]

Hi Kristin:

I'd suggest that you try Thinkfinity at http://www.thinkfinity.org. They are funded by Verizon Foundation and have loads of curriculum resources in all content areas that are vetted by educators and partner organizations for quality. You might find what you are looking for there, and the search engines are very easy to use. One of their partner organizations is the National Geographic Society, so they may have some helpful tools.

Mary Mehsikomer
Minnesota

[Kirsten Morozov]

Thanks so much! I didn't know about this resource.