Script: Math for Justice!

Warm-Up: Math in Our World (10 minutes)

"Good morning, everyone! Let's start with a quick warm-up. I've handed out the Warm-Up: Math in Our World worksheet. Take about 5 minutes to think about these questions and write down your answers. Don't worry, there are no wrong answers here, just your thoughts!"

(Allow students time to complete the warm-up. Circulate and observe.)

"Alright, let's hear some of your ideas. Can anyone share one way they've seen numbers or math used in our everyday lives? Maybe something outside of school?"

(Listen to student responses, affirming and gently guiding. Connect their answers to the idea of data and information.)

"Great examples! You're already seeing how math is all around us, even when we don't always call it 'math.' Today, we're going to dive deeper into how powerful math can be, especially when we use it to make our community a better place."

Introduction: What is Math for Justice? (10 minutes)

"(Display Math for Justice! Slide Deck - Slide 1) Look at our title today: 'Math for Justice!' What do you think that might mean? Just shout out any ideas."

(Listen to responses. Guide them towards the idea of using math to understand and solve problems related to fairness.)

"Exactly! Today, we're going to learn how to use the math you've been practicing in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade to understand important issues in our world and right here in our community. We're talking about using numbers to help make things more fair and equal for everyone."

"(Display Math for Justice! Slide Deck - Slide 2) So, why is this important? Because math helps us see patterns and problems that might not be obvious at first. It helps us understand unfairness and, most importantly, it helps us propose solutions and make a real difference. For example, if we look at how many parks are in different neighborhoods, we might see that some areas have many more green spaces than others. That's a math problem that tells us something about fairness."

"(Display Math for Justice! Slide Deck - Slide 3) We'll be talking about terms like 'social justice,' 'abolition,' and 'liberation.' In simple terms, social justice means making sure everyone is treated fairly and has the same opportunities, no matter who they are or where they come from. Abolition is about removing old systems that cause harm and building new, better ones. And liberation is about working towards true freedom and equality for all people. Can you think of a time when you saw something that didn't feel fair? How might math help us understand why it wasn't fair?"

(Encourage brief sharing, connecting their experiences to the concepts.)

Activity: Community Data Walk (20 minutes)

"(Display Math for Justice! Slide Deck - Slide 4) Now, it's time for our first activity: a 'Community Data Walk'! I've placed different charts, graphs, and statistics around the room. These show real information about our community and some social issues."

"I want you to get into your assigned groups. Each group will have a Worksheet: Data for Change. Your job is to walk around, look at the data at each station, and discuss with your group what you see. What story do the numbers tell? What questions do they make you ask? Fill out your worksheet as you go. You'll have about 15 minutes for this walk. Ready? Go!"

(Monitor groups, provide support, and prompt deeper thinking as needed. Give a 5-minute warning.)

Discussion: Unpacking Inequality (15 minutes)

"(Display Math for Justice! Slide Deck - Slide 5) Alright, everyone, let's come back together. During your data walk, you looked at a lot of interesting information. Now, let's unpack what you saw."

"First, what surprised you the most about the data you looked at? Was there anything that made you say, 'Wow, I didn't know that!'?"

(Facilitate a class discussion. Encourage students to reference specific data points from their worksheets.)

"What patterns did you notice? Did you see any trends, or anything that seemed to repeat across different data sets?"

"And the big question: how does this data connect to fairness or unfairness in our community? How does math help us see those differences?"

(Guide students to articulate how mathematical representations (like percentages, averages, or comparisons) can highlight disparities and inequities.)

Game: Solve for Equity (15 minutes)

"(Display Math for Justice! Slide Deck - Slide 6) Great discussion! Now, let's put our math skills to another test with a game called 'Solve for Equity'!"

"I'm going to divide you into new teams. Each team will get a set of math problems related to social justice scenarios. Your goal is to solve the problems, but also to think about what the numbers mean for the people in the scenarios. The team with the most correct answers and thoughtful explanations wins!"

(Explain game rules in detail, ensuring all students understand. Facilitate the game, providing support and clarification.)

Project Introduction: Justice in Numbers (10 minutes)

"(Display Math for Justice! Slide Deck - Slide 7) You've done an amazing job today connecting math to real-world issues. Now, it's your turn to be the change-makers!"

"For your final project, you will work individually or in small groups (depending on teacher preference) on 'Justice in Numbers.' You'll choose a local social justice issue that you care about. Then, you'll gather data related to that issue and use your 6th-8th grade math skills to analyze it and propose solutions. This is your chance to use math to make a real difference!"

"We'll be looking at the Project Guide: Justice in Numbers together, which outlines all the steps and what you need to include. We'll also review the Rubric: Justice in Numbers Project so you know exactly how you'll be graded. We'll spend more time on this in our next session, but I wanted to introduce it today."

(Briefly review the key components of the project guide and rubric, emphasizing the application of math skills.)

Quiz & Cool Down (10 minutes)

"To wrap up our lesson today, I have a short Quiz: Applying Math to Justice to see what you've learned. Please complete it individually."

(Distribute quiz and allow students to complete it.)

"Excellent work everyone! Before you leave, please complete this Cool Down: My Math for Justice Takeaway. It's a quick reflection on what stuck with you today. Please hand in your warm-ups, worksheets, quizzes, and cool-downs on your way out. Thank you!"

Warm-Up: Math in Our World

Name: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

Think about the world around you. We see numbers and use math every day, even when we don't realize it! Answer the questions below to get your brain warmed up.

1. Can you think of a time you used math outside of school today or this week? (For example, cooking, telling time, shopping, playing a game, etc.)
   
   
   

2. How do numbers or data help people understand something important in the news or in our community? Give one example.
   
   
   

3. Imagine you want to make something fairer in your school. How might you use counting or numbers to show there's a problem? (For example, if not enough people get to use the basketball court at recess).
   
   
   
   
   
   

Worksheet: Data for Change

Name: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

Group Members: ___________________________________________________

During your Community Data Walk, you will visit different stations with real-world data. For each station, look closely at the charts, graphs, or numbers. Discuss with your group what you see and answer the questions below.

Station 1: Housing & Neighborhoods

1. What kind of data are you looking at at this station? (e.g., bar graph, pie chart, numbers about houses)
   
   
   

2. What does the data show about housing in different parts of our community or city? Are there any differences?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. How might these differences affect people living in those neighborhoods? (Think about things like schools, safety, or access to stores.)
   
   
   
   
   
   

Station 2: School Resources

1. What kind of data are you looking at at this station? (e.g., numbers about class sizes, funding, resources available)
   
   
   

2. Does the data suggest that all schools have the same resources? Explain what you see.
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. If some schools have more or fewer resources, how might that impact students? (Think about learning, opportunities, or support.)
   
   
   
   
   
   

Station 3: Community Safety/Justice

1. What kind of data are you looking at at this station? (e.g., crime rates, types of incidents, community programs)
   
   
   

2. What trends or patterns do you notice in the data related to safety or justice in different areas?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. How might these numbers affect how people feel about their community or their trust in systems? (Think about fairness and equality.)
   
   
   
   
   
   

Station 4: Environmental Health

1. What kind of data are you looking at at this station? (e.g., air quality, park access, waste management)
   
   
   

2. Are there differences in environmental health indicators across different neighborhoods? If so, what are they?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Who do you think is most affected by these environmental differences? Why do you think this is a justice issue?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Wrap-Up Reflection (for your group)

After visiting all stations, discuss with your group:

• Which piece of data stood out to you the most? Why?
  
  
  
  
  
  
• How did using math (looking at numbers, graphs, etc.) help you understand these social issues better than just reading about them?
  
  
  
  
  
  

Activity: Community Data Walk

Objective: Students will analyze various data representations to identify and understand social justice issues within communities.

Time: 20 minutes (15 minutes for walk, 5 minutes for transition)

Materials:

• Worksheet: Data for Change (one per student)
• Printed data points (charts, graphs, statistics) related to social justice issues (see examples below)
• Chart paper or large sticky notes for stations
• Markers

Preparation:

1. Select Data Points: Choose 4-5 diverse data points that are accessible and relevant to 8th-grade special education students. Each data point should illustrate a social justice, abolition, or liberation issue. Ensure they align with 6th-8th grade math concepts (e.g., percentages, fractions, averages, data representation like bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs).
   • Example Data Point 1 (Housing & Neighborhoods): A bar graph showing the average housing costs or availability of affordable housing in different zip codes within a city. (Math: comparing data, understanding averages)
   • Example Data Point 2 (School Resources): A pie chart showing the percentage breakdown of school funding sources, or a table comparing student-teacher ratios in schools from different socioeconomic areas. (Math: percentages, ratios, data interpretation)
   • Example Data Point 3 (Community Safety/Justice): A simple line graph showing trends in community programs versus crime rates in a specific area, or a bar graph comparing access to community centers across neighborhoods. (Math: trends, comparison)
   • Example Data Point 4 (Environmental Health): A map with color-coded areas showing air quality levels or access to green spaces/parks in different parts of a city. (Math: interpreting visual data, geographical analysis)
2. Set Up Stations: Print and prominently display each data point at a separate

Discussion: Unpacking Inequality

Objective: Students will verbally articulate observations and insights from the Community Data Walk, connecting mathematical data to concepts of social justice and inequity.

Time: 15 minutes

Materials:

• Worksheet: Data for Change (completed by students)
• Math for Justice! Slide Deck (Slide 5 displayed)
• Chart paper or whiteboard for recording key takeaways

Instructions:

1. Reconvene: Ask students to return to their desks with their groups and their completed Worksheet: Data for Change.
2. Open Discussion (5 minutes): Begin by asking broad, open-ended questions to encourage initial reactions.
   • "What was one thing that surprised you the most during your data walk?"
   • "Did any piece of data make you feel a particular way? What emotions came up?"
   • "What patterns or trends did your group notice across the different stations? Did anything seem connected?"
3. Connecting Math to Justice (5 minutes): Guide students to make explicit connections between the numerical data and social justice concepts.
   • "Looking at the numbers and graphs, how did math help you see fairness or unfairness in our community? Give an example from one of the stations."
   • "If you just heard a story about unequal resources, how is seeing the data different? What does the math add to our understanding?"
   • "What kind of questions did the data make you ask?"
4. Problem Identification (3 minutes): Challenge students to identify potential problems based on the data.
   • "Based on the data you saw, what is one challenge or issue you think our community might be facing?"
   • "How could knowing these numbers help people who want to make a positive change?"
5. Teacher Wrap-Up (2 minutes): Summarize key points and reinforce the power of data.
   • "You've done an excellent job analyzing complex information and connecting it to important ideas about fairness. It shows how powerful math can be when we use it to understand and address real-world problems."
   • "Keep these observations in mind as we move forward; they will be important for our next activities and your project."