All our maths is based on a system of numbers which has developed over thousands of years
The unit
‘A History of Numbers’ is the second unit in my curriculum. It’s intended as a new start to the parts of mathematics which pupils will remember from primary school. Various topics that pupils have worked with before (such as numbers and operations) are reintroduced through a conceptual framework, laying the groundwork for an inquiry- and insight-based approach to the subject.
Overview
Subject
Numbers
Key concept
Systems
Related concepts
Representation; Generalization
Global context
Orientation in space and time
Foci of exploration
Civilizations and social histories; exchange and interaction
Transfer:
Students learn to use common sense, intuition and even special reasoning in order to understand mathematical rules and relationships.
Reflection:
Students work on a large project in which reflection is an explicit part. This is also the first unit which students review during a class discussion in order to provide feed forward for themselves and the teacher for future units.
Inquirers:
Students are encouraged to wonder about the origins of concepts and ideas which they are familiar with but have likely taken for granted up until now.
Individuals & societies:
The unit is focused on the history of mathematics, which is linked to the formation of cities, bureaucracy and trade. In addition, it includes a project which has many more connections to the subject as a whole.
This unit offers an obvious bridge to the following topics that aren’t part of the curriculum:
- Prime numbers
- Modular arithmetic
- Cardinality of infinite sets (MYP5 topic)
Note: capitalised words are links to previews. While I won’t make most work publically available, you may reach out to request material for personal use.
Additional material
This unit includes a project for criteria C (communication) and D (mathematics in the real world).
The project is called ‘The Life of a Babylonian Merchant’. It is the first in a series of eight (two per year). You can view the English version and the Dutch version and can freely use these as long as you don’t pass them off as your own.
The unit also includes an investigation for criterium B (pattern recognition), which is called ‘Difference of Squares’.
Inquiry questions
Inquiry questions structure the learning process throughout the unit. When the counters are low, it usually means that I have not yet made the questions explicit.