Students will use data to understand their community. They will create math word problems using information collected by the Census Bureau. They will look at the ways numbers and math can help them understand the place they live.

This math Exploration includes detailed, student-friendly Steps to Success that lead the learner through the process of creating a high-level, quality independent project. To add rigor and thoughtfulness, students reflect on their Exploration by answering standards-based Questions of Mathematical Practice.

Supporting documents that can be used with all Explorations in Math are part of this packet. These include: General Student Directions, Expectations/Contract, Work Log, Research Log, Evaluation Rubric (Student and Teacher versions) and Introductory Instructions for teachers.

There are 28 additional Explorations in Math in our store. Each Exploration is designed to be an independent project for students who would benefit from additional challenge and rigor in the topic being taught. They are planned to take about one week of student's time.

Check out our other materials:

· Explorations in Literacy: Independent projects on a wide variety of literacy topics.

· Explorations in Science: 30 Independent interdisciplinary projects, in life science, physical science, and earth science.

· Explorations in Social Studies: 40 Independent Literacy-based projects, in history, civics, geography, and economics