Florida Elections 2000

Teacher(s): Brian Coon

Department(s): Mathematics

Project Proposal:

"Floridian Folly" is a project in which students investigate the 2000 US Presidential election results in Florida (focusing on Palm Beach county, where a butterfly-style ballot was used). Students will find the initial results (not the recount) for the presidential election for every county in Florida using the internet. Many citizens of Palm Beach county claimed they accidentally voted for Reform party candidate Pat Buchanan by mistake. Students will investigate the Buchanan vote in Palm Beach county by creating a scatter plot (Buchanan vs. Bush or Buchanan vs. total votes in a county). Each data point is represents a county.

After it is shown that Buchanan appeared to receive too many votes, students will predict how many votes he "should" have received in Palm Beach county, and using that figure will then determine how many "excess" votes Buchanan received in Palm Beach county.

Students will then use a mathematical process to divvy up the excess Buchanan votes. They will determine how many of the excess votes should go to Vice President Al Gore and how many should go to Governor George W. Bush.

Students will then apply those extra votes to the latest Presidential vote election counts in the state of Florida and determine the consequence of doing so.

Each of the above sections has an accompanying communication piece whereby students must explain their thinking, processes, and findings.

Culminating Activity

Students will present the following:

1. a scatter plot that clearly shows that the Buchanan vote in Palm Beach county is suspect (along with interpretation and explanation of the scatter plot)

2. a prediction of how many votes Buchanan "should" have received in Palm Beach county and the resulting number of "excess" Buchanan votes in that county (along with explanation and computations of how predicted and excess votes were determined)

3.how the excess votes should be appropriated to Gore and and Bush (along with computations and reasoning).

4. new vote counts for Gore and Bush that include the appropriated votes (along with computation and consequences of adding the votes-- i.e. who is the new US President?)

Academic Achievement goals targeted in this project:

NHHS Goal 1: By 2002, increase the percentage of 11^th grade students within standard or advanced on the Direct Writing Assessment from 60.3% (1998) to 90%.

Strategy: Establish and promote school-wide theme of "writing across the curriculum."

NHHS Goal 2: Nathan Hale students will… write well. (the communication piece of the project requires students to explain their reasoning and computations in writing).

Coalition of Essential Schools Common Principles (to which NHHS adheres):

#1- learning to use one’s mind well

#3- goals apply to ALL students

#5- student-as-worker, teacher-as-coach

#6- demonstration of mastery

District Curriculum Standards addressed in this:

1. Communication, Standard 2: Communicates ideas clearly and effectively

• creates a comprehensive and organized presentation with a clear sequencing of ideas and transitions

1. Mathematics, Standard 1: Understands and applies the concepts and procedures of mathematics

• Number Sense: understands and applies concept of ratio & proportion
• Probability and Statistics: organizes an displays data in appropriate forms such as scatter plots
• Algebraic Sense: represents situations that involve variable quantities with equations

1. Mathematics, Standard 2: Problem Solving

• defines and solves problems by investigating situations, formulating questions that define the problem, and constructing solutions
• applies appropriate methods, operations, and processes to construct a solution

1. Mathematics, Standard 3: Mathematical Reasoning

• uses reasoning to analyze information, make logical predictions, and draw conclusions

1. Mathematics, Standard 4: Communication

• expresses complex ideas and situations using mathematical language and notation in appropriate and efficient forms
• expresses or presents mathematical ideas clearly and effectively using both everyday and mathematical language appropriate to audience

1. Mathematics, Standard 5: Connections

• identifies situations in which mathematics can be used to solve problems with local, national, or international implications

 

District Technology standards addressed in this project (write number and description)

1. Indicator #8: Select and apply technology tools for research, information analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making in content learning.
2. Indicator #9: Investigate and apply expert systems, intelligent agents, and simulations in real-world situations.
3. Indicator #10: Collaborate with peers, experts, and others to contribute to a content-related knowledge base by using technology to compile, synthesize, produce, and disseminate information, and other creative works.

 

Assessment strategies/activities to be used to evaluate student mastery of project goals:

1. Oral presentation by students

2. Evaluation of hard copy generated by students

Computers, peripherals, and teacher training needed to accomplish this project:

Hardware: 8 computers w/internet access

Peripherals: Printer (for hard copy), projector (for presentations), TI Interactive! software for student work (integrates internet, graphing, mathematical operations, word processing)

Training: Use of TI Interactive! & using the internet to retrieve information

 

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