Delivering lessons that were centered around cultural relevance and social injustices to be observed by different stakeholders in the district.
Making math relevant to kids gives them greater buy-in and engagement.
RVSD has an equity task force and mission.
We're committed to social justice standards.
Students were highly engaged.
Different kids were able to take leadership and expert roles.
Positive feedback from observers.
It forced me to engage in more conversations about the need for these shifts and how to ensure that we are making math accessible to more of our students. It created opportunity for greater collaboration with more stakeholders.
The team captain handles materials, is who gets extra directions to relay to their group, and is the only representative who may get up to ask questions.
The coach makes sure all kids get a turn to talk and ask questions during discussions, chooses the order for kids to share, and encourages the group to help answer or make suggestions.
The skeptic questions everything! They challenge kids (including themselves) to justify answers.
The accountability manager makes sure all kids are clear about what will be shared. They help to keep the group focused.
Students were provided a blank map of the upper play area and presented with the problem of different activities coming up during recess. They worked independently, in partners, and in groups to design solutions using measurements and fractions. They were also tasked with identifying problems that would not be solved and brainstorm further ideas. There designs were presented to teachers and the principal.
Students explored voting rights, critiqued the voting process, and engaged in discourse about the history (past and present) of changes to voting through the comparison with NBA All-Star voting and its history. They analyzed data and were given an introduction to decimal comparisons. They engaged in creating balanced rosters and compared them to the actual rosters from different years under different voting rules.