The week-long Dehong Shanghai Elementary School Math Week concluded successfully amidst the joyful laughter and meeting of young minds. For this week, numbers and shapes leapt out of textbooks, transforming into a tangible, explorable world in the children's hands. The Dehong students couldn't help but exclaim: Math can be so much fun!
The establishment of this Math Week originated from a fascinating number—π. Because its approximation is 3.14, March 14th is also known as International Pi Day each year. Seizing this opportunity, teachers from the Elementary School Math Department, in collaboration with teachers from the EML department, co-designed a series of classes and activities. They guided students to explore the mysteries of π, allowing them to experience the fun and charm of mathematics within a cross-cultural atmosphere, thereby igniting their most genuine curiosity and love for the subject.
Bilingual π-themed classes, newly stocked fun math books in the library, and a Math Carnival for all... How exactly did this exciting week use the numerical code "3.14" to unlock endless fun? Let's revisit these unmissable moments!
Bilingual Math Classes: When Math Meets Diverse Cultures
Among the many activities of this Math Week, the bilingual Chinese-English π-themed math classes were undoubtedly a highlight. Teachers designed exploration topics tailored to the cognitive levels of different grades—from lower grades "Getting to Know Circles and Pi" to upper grades "Exploring Circumference and Area of Circles." Each grade engaged in cross-linguistic, cross-cultural practices centered around π, unlocking infinite possibilities related to the "circle."
For example,Grade 1 classrooms were filled with the joy of discovery. The children transformed into "Circle Detectives," carefully searching for circular objects in the classroom, around the campus, and in daily life—pencil holders, clocks, buttons on screens...—and attempting to name them in English. This was not just a vocabulary lesson but a friendly, intuitive first encounter with geometric shapes. By Grade 4, the exploration evolved into a deeper combination of hands-on activity and critical thinking. Working in groups, students personallymeasured the circumference and diameter of various circles using string and calculated their ratios. As data from different groups was compiled, everyone was amazed to find that no matter the size of the circle, the ratio of circumference to diameter always approached that magical 3.14! Through personal practice, discussion, and sharing, the abstract concept of π became concrete and vivid in the children's minds.
Such classrooms allowed mathematical knowledge to effortlessly cross language barriers, transforming into tangible, lively experiences through collaborative inquiry. They not only ignited the children's enthusiasm for active learning but also allowed them to truly appreciate the fun and appeal of mathematics as a universal language within a multicultural atmosphere.
New Math Books in the Library: Discovering Joys of Math Through Reading
Beyond the exciting classrooms, the seeds of math were also quietly sown amidst the scent of books. During Math Week, the elementary school library simultaneously stocked nearly 300 new math-themed books. From captivating math stories and mind-bending puzzles to legendary biographies of mathematicians and vivid math comics... the diverse array of reading materials opened new windows for the children.
Whether during dedicated reading classes or in their spare time after meals, it was common to see children immersed in the pages, sometimes lost in thought, other times excitedly sharing new discoveries with friends. Through reading, they freely explored the world of math beyond textbooks, pursuing mathematical topics that sparked their interest. This self-directed exploration born from curiosity is the very soil that nourishes mathematical thinking and cultivates genuine interest—the charm of math has never been confined to classrooms and formulas. It hides within interesting puzzles, moving stories, and in every unexpected encounter with knowledge.
The Math Carnival: Igniting Sparks of Thought Through Challenge Games
The Math Carnival challenge activities brought the Math Week atmosphere to its peak! Students, holding their challenge cards, moved between various fun and fascinating stations, thinking through games, collaborating in challenges, and fully experiencing the joy of "learning through play."
The activities were carefully designed with challenges of varying difficulty. For younger students, we set up more fun-focused stations, such as "Halli Galli" to exercise hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes, and the "Tower of Hanoi" to cultivate patience and strategic thinking. Challenges for middle and upper grades involved more mathematical thinking, like the calculation and logic game "24," the spatial reasoning puzzle "Klotski", and classics like Sudoku and the Rubik's Cube. The rich variety of activities allowed children to learn about and experience different Chinese and international math games, with every child finding their own challenge and enjoyment.
It is worth noting that this carnival was also a heartwarming example of home-school collaboration—parent volunteers enthusiastically participated, either as station managers or assisting with organization and prize distribution, witnessing the children's focus and laughter amidst the busyness. This not only allowed parents to observe and feel their children's learning and growth process up close but also allowed our philosophy of "Home-School Co-Education" to quietly take root through this lively interaction.
The Dehong Shanghai Elementary School Math Week concluded amidst the children's joyful laughter, but the sparks of thought and enthusiasm for exploration ignited by math continue to resonate across the campus. At Dehong, we firmly believe that mathematics is far more than just calculation; it is a language for understanding the world, a journey of discovery full of surprises. We hope the children will carry forward the interest sparked in games, the thinking honed through challenges, and the curiosity nurtured by reading as they continue to explore the mathematical world. The school will also continue to create more engaging and substantial subject activities, bringing knowledge to life and helping every child fall in love with thinking and enjoy inquiry. We look forward to the next time we embark on more wonderful knowledge adventures with you on the Dehong campus!
