Making Sense of Mathematics

Every year as Eighth Graders prepare to graduate, we ask them to reflect on how they have grown as mathematicians.  Many students report that they have come to understand that math makes sense!  It is not just a bunch of rules to be memorized or procedures to be followed.

Here are some examples of the work 7th grade students are doing.  These studies are designed to help students realize over and over that "math makes sense".

Students have been finding ways to develop formulas to calculate the areas of geometric figures.  The most complicated formula they derive is for trapezoids.

Depending on each student's approach, they can make up to three different formulas.  These are all equivalent, and absolutely correct!

Logan, considering the base of a triangular prism.  

After working on areas, students developed formulas to calculate the volumes of prisms.  These are not just abstract formulas that we memorize.  Students can figure them out on their own.  They make sense!

Dallas, staring down a triangular prism.

Imagining a formula for the volume of a trapezoidal prism.

This week, these students will move on to practice and review addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in our base 10 number system.  To deepen their understanding, they will learn how to do arithmetic using base 5.  The act of working in a different base helps children understand the foundations of the base 10 system in a more profound way.

Once again -- and as always -- math makes sense!