Gold Seal Lesson:
Junk Mail

Copernicus Education Gateway

Subject:

Mathematics

Grade:

5-8

ICLE Standards:

The student uses simple logical reasoning to develop conclusions and is able to express that conclusion in both graphs and in writing.

Performance Task:

Students each keep a record of their family's mail for two weeks. They record the total number of pieces received each day, as well as the number that are considered junk mail. They must develop a definition of what junk mail is, and why different people have somewhat different definitions of what it is. They may further categorize their mail, perhaps separating out good junk mail from bad, bills from letters, and so forth. Whether a child disaggregates his/her family's mail beyond junk versus non-junk should be left up to the child and should not be a part of the student's grade. The class should engage in several brief discussions during the two weeks, focusing on a definition of junk mail and what regulations govern the sending of such mail. They should also explore various types of graphs, their similarities and differences and how data can be represented in graph form. At the end of two weeks of data collection, the students should decide what data they want to present and how best to graph it. They also decide what they think about junk mail and write a letter to someone appropriate (a newspaper editor, a legislator reviewing legislation regarding junk mail, someone that sends a lot of junk mail).

Note to the teacher.- Students may have very different conclusions about the value of junk mail. This task is not to teach youngsters that such mail is good or bad, but to teach them to use data and to develop thoughtful responses. Teachers need to ensure that differing opinions are respected, and that sound reasoning, not the final conclusion, is what is evaluated.

Knowledge / Skills:

Apply in writing the rules and conventions of grammar, usage, punctuation, paragraphing and spelling.  (ela1)

Understand the nature and purpose of a variety of technical formats such as business letters, memos, instructions, policy statements, technical proposals, user manuals, lab reports, etc.  (ela30)

Apply the zero property of multiplication to find the solution of quadratic equations.  (ela53)

Understand the best procedures for statistical data collection, organization, and display.  (m5)

Rubric:

Ready
4 Points = You carefully looked through your mail for a few days, talked with several people about junk mail, and then developed your own specific and unique categories for classifying your mail,
3 Points = You looked through a sample of your mail, talked with a few people about junk mail, and then developed a few logical categories for classifying your mail. (The difference between a "3" and a "4" is the amount of thought and the usefulness of categories developed.)
2 Points = You looked through some mail and/or talked with someone about junk mail before deciding what your categories would be. Your categories work most of the time, but some mail may fit snore than one category.
1 Point = You did decide on categories before beginning to collect data, but there is little evidence that you thought much about how to get them just right. When you begin sorting your mail, you find overlapping categories and/or mail that doesn't fit any one category.

Get Set
4 Points = You have complete, accurate records of mail received each day, using your categories as a guide. In addition, you have notes detailing any trends or observations that might be of interest later, when writing your letter.
3 Points = You have a complete, accurate record of mail received each day, using your categories as a guide.
2 Points = You have complete, accurate records of mail received each day. You may have difficulty deciding how to categorize some mail.
I Point = You have records of all or nearly all mail received. You may have had difficulty deciding how to categorize some mail.

Go - Graph
4 Points = Your graph accurately depicts your data and is clear, easy to read, thoughtfully organized, and neat.
3 Points = Your graph accurately depicts your data and is clear, easy to read, and neat.
2 Points = Your graph accurately depicts your data. It may need work to make it easier to read or to make it neat and legible.
I Point = You may have minor errors in accurately recording your data. Your graph also may need work to make it easier to read or to make it neat and legible.

Go - Letter
4 Points = Your letter accurately describes your findings about junk mail. It also presents important concerns that you have about junk mail arising from your study and persuasively offers suggestions and/or conclusions. Of course, it has been carefully edited so there are no grammatical or mechanical errors.
3 Points = Your letter accurately describes your findings about junk mail. It also presents concerns about junk mail, but the links between your study and your concerns may not be easily seen. You do offer a suggestion or conclusion, and you have carefully edited your letter so there are few, if any, errors.
2 Points = Your letter describes your findings about junk mail and offers some suggestions, but both your descriptions and suggestions are general, not specific. You need more detail. You did edit your letter, and there are fewer than five minor errors in grammar or mechanics.
1 Point = Your letter is very general and not organized in a logical way, so it is difficult to follow your reasoning. You definitely need to reorganize what you are saying and add specific detail. Also, your editing has let five or more minor grammatical or mechanical errors slide by.

Keywords:

READING
CONSTRUCT MEANING
DATA COLLECTION
DATA ANALYSIS
DATA DISPLAY
GRAPHS WRITING
CORRESPONDENCE
GRAMMAR
MECHANICS
SPELLING
PERSUASION

Grades:

Kg [] - 1 [] - 2 [] - 3 [] - 4 [] - 5 [x] - 6 [x] - 7 [x] - 8 [x] - 9 [] - 10 [] - 11 [] - 12 []

ICLE Application:

D

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