This document outlines a math photo project where participating classes will take turns posting a photo demonstrating a math concept along with clues. Other classes will try to identify the concept by researching the photo and commenting their guesses. The goals are for students to see math concepts in the real world and engage in discussion. Appropriate concepts for an accelerated 5th grade class are listed. Instructions are provided on how classes can participate and use the blog to post photos and comment.

1. Math is everywhere you look

2. On the sidewalk…

3. In nature…

4. Even on the side of a building…

5. Math Photo of the Week
Each week, one of the participating classes will find
a photo similar to the one above. The class should
think of a math concept that the photo
demonstrates. They will then post the photo as a
blog entry with a few clues and a link to another
website with more information to help the other
classes figure out what the concept is in the photo.

6. Math Photo of the Week
It will then be up to the rest of the classes to
do a little research to figure out what the
concept is in the photo. When they think
they have it figured out, they can post their
answer as a comment to the post. The
posting class is allowed to respond.

7. How to use the blog
• Each class will be given a username and
password to get into the blog to comment on
the entries.
• After the photo has been posted, students can
use the comment link under the photo to ask
questions and dialogue about the concept in
the photo. (see an example of student
comments on a blog entry)
– Note: Students are not using IM, so comments should
be in sentence form and be readable by teachers.

8. How to use the blog
• Each class will prepare a short paragraph
that gives a little information about the
concept in the photo. At the end of the
week, they will post the paragraph to the
project blog.
• Students can comment on the photo
individually, however the final guess of
each class should be in the form of a
paragraph that is posted before Friday.

9. Project Goals
• Students will learn to see mathematical
concepts outside of the classroom, in the
real world.
• Students will use photo search engines to
find photos or use a digital camera to take
photos from their environment.
• Using the comment link, students will
dialogue about the concept in the photo.

10. Possible Concepts
• We are an accelerated fifth grade math class
(which means we cover sixth grade material), so
the following concepts are appropriate:
– Fractions, Decimals, Ratios, Percentages
– Statistics, Probability, Graphs, Charts
– Patterns, Functions, Algebra
– Geometry: Symmetry, Similarity, Congruence,
Properties of Shapes, etc.
– Concepts not covered in the textbook: Symmetry
in Nature, Golden Ratio & Mean, Fibonacci
Sequence, Pascal’s Triangle, we love it all!

11. How to participate
• Contact Jamie Tubbs at:
tubbsj [at] wyomingcityschools.org.
• Please let me know the following:
– Your name
– Grade level
– School’s Name
– Contact Information
– Your expectations, ideas, questions, or
anything else important.

12. Photos in this Slideshow
• I found them all on Flickr. All photos are
protected by some form of the
Creative Commons license.