ESU hosts math night at middle school

Emporia State University and Emporia Middle School recently teamed up for a night of math, family and fun.
The ESU math methods class conducted an event at Emporia Middle School (EMS) entitled EMS Family Math Night.

"Math Family Night was designed to help middle level students have fun with mathematics and to provide the students enrolled in Teaching Middle and Secondary Mathematics the opportunity to work with both parents and students," said ESU mathematics professor Dr. Connie Schrock.
Schrock began the EMS Family Night seven years ago. EMS Family Math Night is not the same each year. This is due to different students taking the course.
ESU students plan and carry out a major project so that they learn all aspects of a program of that type. The methods students create stations for the event. Each student operates their own station and recruits an assistant of their choice. A total of 18 stations were created.

One station involved building the highest structure with a fixed amount of money for materials which were spaghetti and marshmallows. Another involved timing a tennis ball throw and calculating its speed.

"Many were games that they played with or against a parent that involved the Kansas Math Standards in some way," Schrock said.

T he methods students learn how games and performance skills can relate to math, as well as teach students at the same time.
This year's theme was Family Feud. Before the event methods students surveyed all the middle school students then used their answers to play the game. Questions included name a mathematician, name a sport you play with a sphere, name a card game, name an operation on the calculator.

This is an annual event and the third year we have held it at EMS . It has been a success among parents and students," Schrock said. "An afternoon program called QUEST helped at the event. QUEST coordinator Dawn Young is very instrumental in our program each year. QUEST supplied the copies, coordinated at the middle school and obtained some of the prizes."

Last Updated July 2, 2007>