Literature in High School Math

Literature In High School Math

Many picture books, while not exclusively so, lend themselves well to a Middle or Elementary school context. There is an ever growing trend in the literature to take a more holistic approach to interdisciplinary literacy. While novel “studies” may seem overwhelming in terms of time, using literature to create a real life context for math is less ominous. See this example of ways that one math teacher has used current literature (and movies) to bring real life application to math concepts. Literature And Math ¹

Limerick

A dozen, a gross, and a score

Plus three times the square root of four,

Divided by seven

Plus five time eleven

Is nine squared and not a bit more ³

Here is a sample of some novels which lend themselves to a high school context:²
*The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time* by Mark Haddon ● Appropriate for: Upper Middle School/High School ● Math Topics: Number Theory, Algebra, Problem Solving
*The Housekeeper and the Professor* by Yoko Ogawa. ● Appropriate for: High School ● Math Topics: Number Theory, Algebra, Proofs
*Anathem* by Neal Stephenson ● Appropriate For: Upper high school/college ● Math Topics: Calculus, Proofs, Math History
*Cryptonomicon* by Neal Stephenson ● Appropriate For: Upper high school/college ● Math Topics: Cryptology, Problem Solving, Programming
*The Number Devil* by Hans Magnus Enzensburger ● Appropriate For: Upper elementary/lower middle school ● Math Topics: Number Theory, Math History
*The Baroque Cycle* *by Neal Stephenson (Quicksilver, The Confusion, The System of the World)* ● Appropriate for: Upper High School/College ● Math Topics: Math History, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry, Problem Solving
*Schrodinger’s Gat* by Robert Kroese ● Appropriate for: Advanced High School/College ● Math Topics: Physics, Quantum Theory, Math Philosophy
*The Martian* by Andy Weir ● Appropriate For: Upper High School/College ● Math Topics: STEM, Problem Solving, Rate Conversion Problems, Physics
*Seveneves* by Neal Stephenson ● Appropriate For: High School/College ● Math Topics: STEM, Problem Solving, Rate Conversion Problems, Physics
*The Three-Body Problem* by Cixin Liu ● Appropriate For: High School/College ● Math Topics: Physics
*Math Curse* by Jon Scieszka ● Appropriate for: Lower School, Middle School ● Math Topics: Arithmetic, Problem Solving, Math History, More