Superhero Project

Model with Mathematics, Construct and Critique Arguments with Data, Design, Technology, Social Justice

The Superhero Project started in the Civic Engagement course of the Work class (21st century shop) at the East Bay School for Boys. The project asks students to reflect on their story, values, and skills and identify a cause they wanted to learn about and stand for. When I became the math teacher there, the founding Director of Innovation and Outreach and shop teacher at the time, David Clifford, asked me how this project could be interdisciplinary and include math class.  I knew that I could support students in critically analyzing the data they found in their research and adding data to their arguments for why anyone should care about their issue of choice. In addition, I guide students in developing empathy by exploring privilege and marginalization through various social justice issues so that students can make connections to their personal identities and stories.

REFLECTION

In his 8th Grade end of year Exhibition of Learning, Ben Irving (class of 2016) describes the impact that this project had on his character development and why he believed that it taught him much more than data analysis.

Student Work

The videos below are the result of collaborating with the current Work teacher, Kyle Metzner, in the third iteration of this Work and Math class collaboration. I was inspired to have students do whiteboard animations after reading Catlin Tucker's blog post, "Drive Higher-Order thinking with RSA Animation," but students also chose to learn and use other techniques.

Unit Development Mind Map