Lawrence, 03/25/14

Dear Parent or Guardian:

I am writing to tell you about an exciting project we are about to do in our 9th grade Integrated
Mathematics class.
As you might know, in our school we use the teaching method of Project Based Learning, or
PBL, to help students learn better. A project motivates students to gain knowledge, and they
remember it longer. Projects give students the chance to apply the skills they learn in school
to personally relevant and real-world situations. Your child also learns skills in PBL such as
how to think critically, solve problems, work in teams, and make presentations. These skills
will help students succeed in the future, both in school and in todays work world.
Our project is called Kick That Soccer Ball and it will last four weeks. Students will learn
about platonic solids, differentiation, integration, the golden ratio, geometric constructions
and shapes, volume, angles, the Cartesian (coordinate) plane, congruence, similarity. The
students will make sense of problems and persevere in solving them, make formal geometric
constructions by using compass and straightedge and a dynamic geometric software. They
will obtain, evaluate and communicate information, analyze and interpret data, and design a
solution to a complex real-world problem. The projects Driving Question, which focuses our
work, is How can we create a soccer ball from scratch? Students will, among other things,
be involved in researching on the Internet, interviewing school staff and students, fun handson activities, creating a poster, and preparing an oral presentation. Your child will work in a
team, guided by me. We will have a guest speaker, Steven Vuljik-Rehn, an enthusiastic soccer
player and manufacturer of Tango Espaa soccer balls for the Adidas sports company, visit
our classroom. He will be explaining how a soccer ball becomes a soccer ball. Vuljik-Rehn
closely works with soccer balls every day and has a broad understanding of soccer balls, both
on the field and about the objects structure and materials. I believe that this visit will serve
the students beneficially as it will give the students ideas about the project and a chance to ask
questions to a professional soccer player and someone knowledge about the topic. We will be
going outside the classroom to learn about mathematics in architecture, nature and street
signs. It is very important that your child shows appropriate behavior and safety when being
outside, as well as in the classroom.
At the end of the project, students will make presentations to their fellow class peers,
another freshman class who is currently working on a similar topic, and to their
parents and/or guardians. This presentation will take place in the Sylvester Ballroom,
located in Room 37 A on the third floor of our school building and is scheduled for April 21st
at 7:00 p.m. We hope you will be able to attend.
Students will be assessed individually on their content knowledge, their collaboration skills,
and their presentation skills. I will attach a scoring rubric to the classroom forum online that
you have access to that we will use to guide the creation of the students artifact, their own
soccer ball, and assess their work. I am planning on having the scoring rubric up by tomorrow
morning before noon. You may find the rubric helpful in understanding what we are asking
students to do, and supporting your child during the project. From the rubric, you will see that
the students will make group posters that will be on display in a trafficy hallway in our
school building for about two weeks. We would like as many people to stop and have a look
at these posters as they pass by, so neatness and effort are desirable. As parents or guardians,

you can discuss the project at home, encouraging your child to think hard and ask questions
about the topic. Please feel free to contact me if you need any more information about the
rubric and I would be happy to clarify.
Please sign below indicating that you have read this letter and make sure that your child
brings it to class tomorrow morning. Thank you for your cooperation!

I/We have read this letter and understand the purpose of this PBI Unit Project:
____________________________________________________ Date: _________________

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the project!
Sincerely,
Ole Hansen
Phone (work): (846)-123-1234
Phone (cell): (785)-727-9448
Email: formerjayhawk@nest.beak