This document discusses using films to integrate culture and mathematics in the classroom. It proposes that films can engage students by featuring people from diverse cultural backgrounds solving problems. An approach is described that identifies ordinary life situations depicted in films and creates related mathematical investigations. A cultural and mathematics index is presented for evaluating films. Sample films are analyzed and possible mathematical investigations described, covering topics like probability, dimensional analysis, and geometric modeling. The document concludes by noting films' interdisciplinary potential and considerations for their classroom use.

1. FILMS: CULTURAL MEDIA FOR EXPLORING MATHEMATICS
Denisse R. Thompson Michaele F. Chappell
denisse@usf.edu chappell@mtsu.edu
University of South Florida Middle Tennessee State University
Tampa, Florida, USA Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
Cultural Perspective Used
“The totality of ideas, beliefs, values, activities, and knowledge of a group or individuals
who share historical, geographical, religious, racial, linguistic, ethnic, or social
traditions, and who transmit, reinforce, and modify those traditions” (Davis, 2006, p.4).
Why Merge Math and Culture through Media?
• Students in many U.S. mathematics classrooms are from varied cultural
backgrounds.
• Students see people who resemble them solve situations using critical‐thinking
processes.
• Students see that people with similar cultural experiences created and developed
mathematics.
• Students have greater potential to become engaged in math tasks due to their
interest in the film.
• Films facilitate the introduction of culture into the classroom.
Our Approach to Integrating Culture with Math
• Identify resources highlighting individuals of different cultures living ordinary
lives.
• Create investigations related to problems individuals might solve while living their
everyday lives.
• Have students consider problems that might be relevant to individuals from these
cultures.
Our Cultural and Mathematics Index for Media
Cultural Index Mathematics Index
Amenable Beneficial Compelling Explicit Implicit
Message . . . Content . . .
is independent is influenced is dependent is evident in varies from
of cultural by on varying indirect to
identity cultural cultural degrees none
identity identity
Fourth International Conference on Ethnomathematics (ICEm‐4), July 25‐30, 2010, Towson, Maryland, USA

2.
Sample Films and Possible Investigations
Akeelah and the Bee – PG; 112 minutes
 Cultural Index: B (African American)
 Math Index: I
 Investigation: The Luck of the Draw
 Math Topics: Probability, Simulations, Creating Tree Diagrams
Suppose that Akeelah knows the spelling of 8 of 10 words.
 Predict her chance of randomly selecting 4 words she knows how to spell.
 Simulate the situation.
 Draw a tree diagram to show the probabilities on each draw.
Rabbit­Proof Fence; 98 minutes
 Cultural Index: C (Indigenous Peoples)
 Math Index: I
 Investigation: Walking A Long Distance
 Math Topics: Writing Algebraic Expressions, Dimensional Analysis, Graph
Systems of Equations.
The Girls walked 1200 miles in 9 weeks.
 Estimate the number of miles walked each day. Use this to estimate a walking
speed.
 The girls walked 2.5 mi/hr. How far do they walk in 1, 2, 3,… 6 hours?
 The tracker starts 6 hours after the girls and travels at 3.5 mi/hr. Write
expressions for the distance from the settlement for the girls and the tracker
when he has traveled h hours.
 When does the tracker catch the girls?
Fourth International Conference on Ethnomathematics (ICEm‐4), July 25‐30, 2010, Towson, Maryland, USA

3.
Selena – PG; 128 minutes
 Cultural Index: C (Latino)
 Math Index: I
 Investigation: Start Up That Band!
 Math Topics: Comparing Rates, Solving Linear Inequalities, Problem Solving with
Percents
Custom buses for bands are generally expensive. A conversion‐diesel bus could cost
$168,000.
 Diesel gets 9.9 mi/gal. How many gallons are needed to travel 100,000 miles? n
miles?
 Write an equation for the total cost to operate the bus when it is driven n miles
and gas costs $4.85 per gallon.
 Repeat the questions above for a propane bus if it gets 6.6 mi/gal, propane costs
$1.73 per gallon, and it costs $5000 more than a diesel bus.
 Which bus is cheaper to operate?
Children of Heaven – PG; 88 minutes
 Cultural Index: B (Asian/Iranian)
 Math Index: I
 Investigation: Lavash Bread
 Math Topics: Area Measurement, Geometric Modeling, Determining Patterns
A bakery sells lavash bread with dimensions 14 by 20 inches and very thin.
 Estimate the surface area of the bread.
 How many pieces of bread can you have with 1 tear? 2 tears? 3 tears?
 How many tears are needed to have 1 piece of bread for each of 28 students?
 Given a recipe for lavash bread, find the amount of each ingredient to make
enough for a class.
Fourth International Conference on Ethnomathematics (ICEm‐4), July 25‐30, 2010, Towson, Maryland, USA

4. Fourth International Conference on Ethnomathematics (ICEm‐4), July 25‐30, 2010, Towson, Maryland, USA

5.
Interdisciplinary Potential of Films
Rabbit­Proof Fence
• English – Essays and reports about scenes from the movie
• Social Studies – Discuss racial implications of policies related to removing children
from their homes
• Science – Environmental issues related to animal populations and their natural
predators
• Business – Investigate the potential financial benefit from this governmental policy
Using Films in Classrooms
• Preview all films (avoid language, violence, sexual, or extremely sensitive issues).
• Check school policies for viewing films:
o View entire film during class.
o Have students view film as homework.
o View only specific scenes of the film.
o View film as an outside‐class project.
o View film in another class as part of an interdisciplinary unit.
• Note copyright regulations for showing films.
• Use film resources with purposeful intent.
References:
Chappell, M. F., & Thompson, D. R. (2009). Math, Culture, and Popular Media: Activities to
engage middle school students through film, literature, and the internet. Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann.
Davis, Bonnie M. (2006). How to Teach Students Who Don’t Look Like You: Culturally
Relevant Teaching Strategies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Film Media:
Akeelah and the Bee. (2006). Produced by Nancy Hult Ganis, Sid Ganis, Laurence
Fishburne, Michael Romerse, and Danny Llewelyn. Written and Directed by Doug
Atchison. 112 minutes. Lionsgate. Film.
Children of Heaven. (1999). Produced by Institute for the Intellectual Development of
Children and Young Adults. Written and Directed by Majid Majidi. 88 minutes.
Miramax Films. Film.
Rabbit­Proof Fence. (2002). Produced by Philip Noyce and Christine Olson. Directed by
Philip Noyce. 94 minutes. Miramax Films. Film.
Selena. (1997). Produced by Moctesuma Esparza. Written and Directed by Gregory
Nava. 128 minutes. Warner Brothers. Film.
Fourth International Conference on Ethnomathematics (ICEm‐4), July 25‐30, 2010, Towson, Maryland, USA