Students at Nyack Middle School Develop Understanding of Important Mathematical Concepts

BY BARRY WARNER

At Nyack Middle School, grade seven students participated in a ‘Slicing Prisms and Pyramids’ curriculum segment, in which they developed strategies to carve prisms out of a block of play dough with a wire clip cutter.

The student measured the surface area and volume for 3-dimensional shapes, such as a triangle and hexagon, and were guided by their seventh grade teacher, Mrs. Hekker, to understand the principles regarding certain shapes that serve special packaging purposes for filling and wrapping of products.

Orande Daring, Science and Math coordinator said, “The new mathematics curriculum stimulates critical thinking, enriched inquiry and problem-solving at the middle school level. There is a continuum in the common core mathematical mode to prepare students for more advanced courses in high school.”

Mathematics Awareness Month is held each year in April to increase public understanding and appreciation for mathematics. Teaching of mathematics in the middle school focuses on intuitive, exploratory investigations that use informal reasoning to help students develop a strong conceptual basis.

For additional information access: www.nctm.org.