Final Project

Over the course of the semester, we have looked at many connections to the past, including history and concept development. In this project we will look at connections relevant to the future - the purpose of this final project is to reflect on connections of a geometric topic to active research [ie the future of a field] and/or to your intended career [ie your future].

Career Focused Connections Research and discuss the connections of your topic to your intended career path by giving some specific examples.

For example, if you are planning on teaching middle grades or high school, you could choose any geometry topic related to the NCTM Standards for Geometry, Measurement, Reasoning and Proof, or Connections. Then, you might design a lesson plan, summarize some related classroom activities, worksheet ideas, and/or connections to program or testing requirements. [You can use books, articles and the web to help you]. In addition, you should reflect on the relationship of your topic to the NCTM Standards for Geometry, Measurement, Reasoning and Proof, or Connections, and the NC Standard Course of Study. Finally, find at least one recent application or unsolved problem related to your topic (so that you can answer the question - why is this important today).

Or you might choose a topic like regular polyhedra or symmetry and look at connections to topics in courses in your major [symmetries of regular polyhedra as groups in modern algebra] or in your field [efficiency and strength of regular polyhedra applications to architecture, chemistry, or biology, or symmetry in physics...]

or Active Research Focused Connections Discuss the role of your topic in current research and summarize a related problem that is unsolved. Find at least two related scientific or mathematics research journal articles [ie technical articles that went through a rigorous academic peer review process before being published - if you are unsure about whether something is a technical scientific or mathematics research journal versus a media source, ask Dr. Sarah and also check for information about the editorial board and publishing process and intended audience].

Select References for Teaching and Research
  • NCTM Standards for Geometry, Measurement, Reasoning and Proof, and Connections
  • North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Mathematics
  • JSTOR Access is restricted to ASU students, faculty, and staff.
  • MathSciNet Access is restricted to ASU students, faculty, and staff.
  • arXiv.org e-prints in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Quantitative Biology and Statistics [once you have located an article, check to see whether it has been accepted for publication as some of the articles in this database are in the review process]
  • Library Database Collections by Subject
  • Library Research Guides by Subject

    You project will be graded based on the depth of your geometry connections, and the clarity and creativity of:
    1. an abstract presented orally in 1-2.5 minutes on our last day of class
    2. a presentation that lasts between 4-5.5 minutes on the final exam day and a visual (the visual can be printed paper taped to the wall, a laptop, posterboard, etc and if it is a posterboard it must be a maximum of 2 feet wide and it must be taller than it is wide).
    3. peer review and self-evaluation that you will fill out that day - you'll need to bring paper with you to do so or this print version of the peer review and self-evaluation
    4. an annotated reference list (to turn in). The annotations are brief comments about how you used each reference in your project. Most topics should utilize journal articles or books from the library or Dr. Sarah's office.
    Poster Sessions We will divide up the class into two poster sessions. During your poster session, you must stand by your poster to answer questions (and your answers must demonstrate expertise of your topic). During the other session, you will talk to others about their projects and fill out peer review sheets. If you work on your project with someone else, you will each be in different poster sessions.
    You may work with one other person and the topic must be pre-approved by Dr. Sarah as an ASULearn message. Your project must exhibit effort that is appropriate for your background and major.

    Here are some samples of previous final project topics, but you are not limited to this list:
    Archimedes: The Man who Made Math Solid
    Can You Hear the Shape of a Drum?
    Conic Sections
    Decline and Rise of Geometry in 20th Century North America
    Double Bubble Problem
    Geometry and the Art of M.C. Escher
    Geometry and DNA
    Geometry and Medical Imaging: Humpty Dumpty - Putting the Pieces Back Together Again
    Geometry of Music
    Geometry, space and technology: Challenges for teachers and students
    Geometry of the Universe
    Mapping the Brain
    Number Patterns in Geometry
    Origami Folding Axioms: Planes, Cranes and Math
    Packing Problems (Packing Geometric Shapes Into Other Geometric Shapes)
    Polyhedra
    Symmetry
    Surfaces
    Tessellations
    Visualization in the teaching and learning of mathematics