Math Storytelling Day is celebrated every year on September 25. It’s a day to celebrate the power of storytelling to make math more fun everyone. For many people, like myself, math can be a daunting subject. It can seem abstract and difficult to understand. However, storytelling can help to make math more relatable and engaging.
The Importance of Storytelling in Math
Math can be a challenging subject for many people, and it can be easy to get bogged down in the formulas. Storytelling helps make math more enjoyable by providing additional context.
When we tell stories, we use our imaginations to create vivid worlds and characters. This can help us to connect with math in a more meaningful way. For example, we might tell a story about a group of friends who have to use their math skills to solve a mystery. Or we might tell a story about a mathematician who overcomes challenges to make a breakthrough discovery.
In addition, storytelling can also help us to see the relevance of math in our everyday lives. We might tell a story about how math is used to design bridges, build computers, or develop new medical treatments. This can help us to appreciate the power of math and its importance in the world around us.
How to Celebrate Math Storytelling Day
There are many ways to celebrate Math Storytelling Day. Here are a few ideas:
Math Story Hour
Begin the day by narrating historical tales to your students. They could be about famous mathematicians, groundbreaking discoveries, or fun anecdotes that link to specific math concepts. There are also many great resources available that combine math with storytelling, for example “The Numberlys” by Joy Cowley. There are also many books often contain valuable lessons that can help students begin to think like mathematicians.
Personal Math Narratives
Encourage your students to write or present short stories about their personal experiences with math. They could write about a time when they used math outside of school or a memorable math lesson. Encourage students to use digital tools to tell their stories.
Math Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt or flip hunt where each clue requires solving a math problem or answering a math-related question. Each answer can lead students to a new location with a new story or historical fact about math.
Math Campfire Sessions
Have students sit around in a circle (like around a campfire) and narrate math-related stories, parables, or riddles.
Math Story Competitions
Hold competitions where students can submit their math stories and win prizes. This could be in the form of essays, videos, or digital presentations.
Math Story Corners
Designate spots in the school where students can read math-related stories, comics, or magazines. This could also be a digital space, where students can access eBooks or math-related blogs.
Math Mysteries
Have students enact plays or skits where they solve a mystery or overcome challenges using mathematical concepts. Or solve a math mystery in small groups or as a class!
Invite Guest Speakers
Bring in mathematicians, engineers, or other professionals who use math daily to share their stories, showcasing the real-world application of math.
Collaborate with School Librarians
Partner with school librarians to highlight math-related books and literature for students to explore.
By embedding storytelling into math education, you can make the subject more relatable and enjoyable. Math Storytelling Day is a chance for students to see math as not just numbers and equations but as a language that tells vibrant stories.
