Driving While Black/Driving While Brown: A Mathematics Project About Racial Profiling

SUBJECT: Mathematics

NUMBER OF DAYS LONG: 3-5

YEAR/GRADE: 6-9 (originally created for 7-8, can be modified)

CURRICULAR TOPIC: Data analysis (collecting, analyzing data); Probability (simulations, law of large numbers, theoretical/experimental probabilities)

TOPIC OBJECTIVE: Students learn: (a) how to analyze data collected from a probability simulation; (b) how to set up their own simulation; (c) about the law of large numbers; (d) about the relationship of theoretical probabilities and empirical data.

SOCIAL JUSTICE OBJECTIVE: Students use mathematics to analyze racial profiling data and compare actual data to results of a probability simulation about racial profiling. This then becomes an entry point into a discussion about whether racial profiling is a real issue, is racism a factor, why does it occur, and if it’s a problem, what can one do about it.

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