Term 2, 2008 

Authentic learning case study: Mathematics and fashion
Subject: Maths
Year Level: 10
Enterprising attributes: Students had the opportunity to work in teams and learn leadership skills in a team context. Make Maths in the classroom relevant to the ‘real world’. Calculations as well as creativity were to the success of the lesson.

Outline of the unit of work: A year 10 maths teacher used team-building activities to inspire his class and demonstrate the relationship between maths, the real world and everyday living. To engage the students in an activity the students were divided into teams and given a timeframe. The students, within a set timeframe, had to think of an enterprising person and dress a model as that person.

The students had to use their maths knowledge and skills to measure the material and calculate sizes. The students then had to present their model to the rest of the class, describing their ‘enterprising person’ and the enterprising attributes of that person.

For example: students presented their models of Mrs. Doubtfire and the Dali Lama.

Student outcomes: On-going

Teacher comments: On-going