Welcome Families! This year, we are on a mission to show students that math isn't just a subject in a textbook; it’s something we use every single day. Each month, we’ll explore the "hidden math" in the world around us and share quick, fun activities you can do at home.
This month, we are looking at one of the places your kids know best: SCHOOL! Did you know that running a school requires an incredible amount of math? Behind the scenes, staff are constantly using math to solve real-world problems.
- Creating a timetable for hundreds of students, dozens of teachers, and limited gym, library, and classroom spaces is a massive mathematical exercise. Principals need to ensure that teacher assignments, specialty classes, and recess schedules line up perfectly without any two classes overlapping in the same room.
- There are many ways to organize books in a school library. They are often organized by a numerical classification called the Dewey Decimal System. The Dewey Decimal System uses a highly structured system of decimals to categorize all non-fiction human knowledge into ten main thematic branches. Every time your child finds a book on the shelf, they are navigating a decimal number line.
- The caretaking staff use ratios to mix cleaning fluids safely.
- Educators use financial literacy to budget for classroom materials, school improvements, and field trips.
Family Math Challenges: Try This At Home!
You don't need to be a math teacher to do these! Pick the challenge that fits your child's age group and try it out.
Primary
- Next time you are at the school playground or a local park, call out a shape (e.g., "Cylinder!" or "Rectangle!"). Give your child 10 seconds to run and touch an object that matches that shape (like a slide pole or a bench).
Junior
- Have your child imagine a cool art project, a science experiment, or some other class activity that would require supplies. Then, have them create a list of the supplies required for the activity and research the cost of purchasing them. Ask, “If you need to buy enough for your entire class to participate in the activity, what would be the total cost?”
Intermediate
- Go online to find a satellite image or a map of your child’s school. Have your child use the scale of the image to determine the area of the school’s footprint, the parking lot, and the playground. Challenge them to reimagine the use of space and draw a scale drawing of what their ideal school grounds would look like
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