By Tammy Conrad
Sommer Elementary School
That’s what we are sharing with our students at Patsy Sommer Elementary in our 3rd and 5th TAG Math classes. This year we received a $2146 NEA Envision Equity grant to purchase classroom books about global mathematicians from throughout time and in particular those about women and people of color. I want my students from families with origins around the world to see their cultures’ heroes and know the worldwide impact of their contributions
Using these books students have researched when the mathematicians lived and where they came from. It was important that they were able to put the information into perspective with maps and timelines showing the actions of other mathematicians and world events occurring at the same time. They communicated what they learned through presentations while focusing on communication skills. Along with the presentation, they are including some type of product such as a sock puppet show about Archimedes, a rhyming poem about Henry Briggs, and illustrated booklets. They will be sharing with various classes throughout the school.
I am so proud of the work my students are doing. They are connecting mathematics to humanity. This will help them grasp the concept that math is not just learning formulas, but understanding the need for them and the contributions made to our world because of their development.