Mathletics are Fun!: Analyzing Ball Sports with Pre-Algebraic Concepts

Lisa Ashworth, Seventh Grade, Barringer Academic Center

Final Unit (PDF)     Implementing Common Core Standards (PDF)

200 Word Synopsis

This middle school mathematics unit is taught in the second semester of the school year as a review and reinforcement of pre-algebra concepts that were taught in the first semester. This unit is used as a complement to middle school mathematics courses that are taught in sixth, seventh and eighth grade classrooms in North Carolina. This unit is used to show the real-life application and connection of ball sports to algebraic math concepts. Students will examine the ball sports of football, basketball, soccer and baseball through a variety of activities.
By combining math instruction with activities involving sports, students will have a better opportunity for grasping complex concepts and how they are used in the real world. By showing students how math and science concepts are used in the design and participation of sports, students will be able to have fun with sports while gaining a better understanding of complex math concepts in algebra and geometry. This unit will correlate and combine developing math skills, research skills, writing skills, and speaking and presentation skills. Students will be able to explore the real world mathematical concepts