ERIC Number: EJ1457693
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2576-6767
Farmers Markets and Fairs as Venues for Doing Math in Rural Settings
Jan Mokros; Jennifer Atkinson
Journal of STEM Outreach, v1 n1 2018
This paper describes innovative ways of bringing mathematical learning into community venues in rural settings. We selected highly engaging mathematical activities, adapted them for middle school youth and their families, and brought them to the "locavore" contexts of Farmers Markets and community agricultural fairs. "STEM Guides"--community people hired to connect youth with local STEM resources--set up math-oriented booths at local Farmers Markets and fairs. They enlisted visitors in weighing produce, comparing weights of typical fruits/vegetables to record-weighing produce, and composing community-supported agriculture (CSA) baskets with specified ratios of different types of produce. Pilot findings from four trials with 91 participants are reported. Specifically, we examine: 1) features of participant engagement; and 2) ways of matching venues with meaningful place-based mathematics, in this case, measurement and mental mathematics. This work demonstrates that it is possible to start with a local venue, identify key mathematical concepts that are woven into this venue, and incorporate mathematics that appeals to a variety of participants. We discuss the idea of important and familiar mathematics reflecting community activities and settings; and the benefits of making math more of a place-based, community-oriented enterprise.
Descriptors: Agricultural Production, Mathematics Education, Mathematical Concepts, Middle School Students, School Community Programs, Partnerships in Education, Food, Retailing, Rural Areas, STEM Education, Mathematics Activities, Learner Engagement, Place Based Education, Mental Computation
Journal of STEM Outreach. PMB 0367, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203. e-mail: jstemoutreach@vanderbilt.edu; Web site: https://www.jstemoutreach.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Maine
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1322827