You may be familiar with Egyptian hieroglyphs, Roman numerals, and the binary system of 0’s and 1’s that is the foundation for digital electronics. But have you used the “Lacrosse System” or the “Sushi System”?
In math class during the first few days of school, Class 6 students created their own unique number systems, incorporating their personal interests and style, and presented them to their teacher and peers. “The Breakfast System,” for example, is a tasty calculation where the icons “Cheese, Egg, Egg” would represent the number 12 – a block cheese was defined as “10” and each egg as “1.”
Students detailed their designs, giving examples of equations and breaking down the advantages and disadvantages of their system. “My system is fast for writing larger numbers,” one student said, “but you have to be really good at drawing.”
Students shared feedback with each other following the presentations. Responding to a design that included symbols around music and books, one student said, “I really love how your system is easy to remember and includes all of your favorite things.” Math Teacher Katie Adams also offered her praises after each demonstration.
As this engaging math lesson proved, our scholars are ready for another year filled with determination, hard work and creativity!
