Many of the classes at Byng Elementary are participating in a place-based mathematics inquiry project, support by the Aboriginal Enhancement Schools Network. Big ideas we have been looking at include seeing where math lives outside of the classroom including the school grounds, the neighbourhood, the community and the river. As we take students out for math walks, we begin with the strategy of noticing and naming where we notice math. The grade 1 class was very focused on noticing and naming shapes! For the older classes, we also focused on trying to help the students connect to place and when we were down by the river, I shared the story of this place and how it was shared fishing territory for the Coast Salish nations for thousands of years. Big ideas of time and place as well as how mathematics is used in the community will continue to be investigated.

Looking for math in the neighbourhood…

Looking for math in Steveston village…

The grades 5 & 6 class had a chance to talk to three RCMP officers about they use math in their jobs.

Looking for math at the harbour…

As each class walked through Steveston, the students used the school’s iPads to take photographs. When we returned to class they had to edit down their collection of photographs and then talked about what mathematical connections they were making to their photographs.

We will be continuing to think about these photographs and think about what mathematical investigations might be inspired by them.

~Janice