Catholic School Math

A reader who created this list sent it to me.

If math were taught the way religion is taught in many Catholic schools:

• How do you feel about numbers?
• Meditate on your favorite number, then write a paragraph about why it is
  your favorite.
• Choose a song and identify some of the ways in which numbers are present
  in it. Play the song for the class and lead a discussion about what the class
  thinks the song expresses about numbers.
• Which number is most present to you in your life today? Which number is
  most absent?
• We’re going to watch a movie. At the end of the movie we’ll
  discuss the ways in which numbers are explicitly and symbolically portrayed
  in it.
• What can you do to be more aware of numbers in your everyday life?
• What are your best and worst experiences involving numbers?
• Make a poster in which you creatively and colorfully depict a number of
  your choice.
• Although some numbers are called “greater” and others are called
  “lesser”, in what ways are all numbers really the same? In what
  ways can the “lesser” numbers be considered greater than the “greater”
  numbers, and in what ways can the “greater” numbers be considered
  less than the “lesser” numbers?
• Even though irrational numbers cannot be expressed as the quotient of two
  integers the way rational numbers can, explain how irrational numbers should
  be respected and considered to be no different from rational numbers.
• Explain how the traditional classification of integers as either odd or
  even is merely a social construct.
• Explain how every number has something good about it.
• Do you accept the way that previous generations have used numbers? How
  do you think numbers should be used? Is there a right or a wrong way to use
  numbers? What do you consider to be the most personally meaningful way to
  use numbers?
• How has the way you use numbers changed throughout your life? How do you
  think you will use numbers in the future?
• Explain why a diversity of numbers is good and what you can do to promote
  number diversity.
• Explain how multi-cultural approaches to numeral systems (e.g., Mesopotamian,
  Roman, Arabic) can enrich our appreciation of numbers. Also explain why no
  numeral system is better than any other system.
• You will have to do a group project in which each person contributes a
  number. Present to the class all the ways your group can relate the numbers
  to each other. Your presentation can be a PowerPoint or a video in which you
  creatively animate the numbers your group selects.
• Write an essay in which you pretend that you are a number. Explain what
  you think it would be like to be that number.
• If you believe in your heart or in your conscience that 2+2=5, does anyone
  else have the right to tell you that you’re wrong? Explain why we should
  avoid judging other people’s mathematical operations.
• Fractions are divisive. Can you think of better ways to express a quotient,
  without using divisive fractions? Is division something we should strive to
  do with numbers anyway?
• Explain why the labeling of numbers as either “positive” or
  “negative” is discriminatory, hurtful, and a manifestation of
  the bigotry of value-ism. How would you feel if you were labeled a “negative”
  number? What can you do to help end this kind of discrimination?
• Create a collage of numbers.

Pretty good list – though I would add:

• Make a felt banner showing what numbers mean to you.
• Should fractions be written with one number over another one? Explain why
  this is an unjust hierarchical system where when the operation is carried
  out it only diminishes the so-called numerator.

And added to one he sent me:

• Explain why the labeling of some numbers as “prime” is also
  discriminatory and hurtful, and a manifestation of the bigotry of divisible-ism.
  How would you feel if you were labeled a “non-prime” or “divisible”
  number? Does having factors really matter in the long run? After all There
  is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither
  male nor female; or prime and non-prime. If it isn’t divisive why does it
  have natural divisors?

Of course there is also my The
Mathsiah.

What would be your examples?