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Your Guide to
Hosting a Math Fair Event
For Students, Teachers, Coordinators,
Principals, Parents and Community
© Amy Mills 2013
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Table of Contents
Introduction and Frequently Asked Questions…………………………………………………...3
Tips to Get Started…………………………………………….………………………………………….…5
Sample Themes…………………………………………….………………………………………………...6
Things to Do at Your Math Fair………………………………………………………………………..7
Academic Component of a Math Fair………………………………………………………………..8
Sample Games, Activities and Stations………………………………………………………………9
Recruiting Help…………………………………………….………………………………………..……..11
Suggested Planning Checklist………………………………………………………………………....12
Resources…………………………………………….………………………………………………………..14
Math Fair Investigation Project………………………..…………………….………………..….16-21
Sample Save-the-Date…………………………………………….…………………………………….…22
Sample Letter to 7th and 8th grade Parents…………………………………………………….….23
Sample Post-Fair Thank You Letter…………………………………………..………………….…24
Math Mini-Mart Price List…………………………………………….…………………………….….25
Activity Sign-Up Sheet…………………………………….……………………………………………..26
Fishing for Facts Fish Template…………………………………….………………….……………..27
Favorite Books for Math Story Corner…………………………….……………….……………...28
Printable Signage..…………………………….…………………………………………..……….….29-41
About the Author…………….………………………………………………….………………….….…42
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What is a Math Fair?
What if, in two hours, you could show off your students’ amazing work, highlight your school’s commitment to academics, bring parents and children together to explore math, connect with community members, and throw a party they will all talk about until next year?! A Math Fair is a one-stop destination to celebrate all- things-math in a school community. This annual, one-night-only event can be tailored to fit your specific school’s vision. A Math Fair can combine elements of a
traditional science fair, family social, art show, and open house.
What did a Math Fair look like at your school?
It’s the big night! Students are psyched – we’ve had bake sales, they’ve put up decorations, parents have invitations taped to the fridge and the enthusiasm is contagious! You walk up a balloon-lined path, into the gymnasium and instantly win a door prize. From there, signs point out all of the many avenues to explore. First, you walk around to see the middle schoolers' math experiments, artfully laid out on trifold boards. Students are rushing to see if their board has a shiny, blue ribbon attached to it. As you navigate the gym, you can’t help but notice the fun projects the school has taped to the wall. In another corner of the gym, some kindergarteners are getting their faces painted, while on the opposite side, 7th and 8th graders and their parents are discussing math curriculum requirements with representatives from local high schools. The teachers, principal, and even some costumed student-guides circulate and smile. A table of baked goods awaits all of the happy mathematicians, exhausted from playing math-related games at stations in the middle of the room. At the end of the night, someone remarks to you, “Wow! My kids and I actually bonded over math – I could see what they’ve been up to! And it was great to see so many different groups here!”
Who can be involved in a Math Fair?
Anyone and everyone! This set-up would work for any school building – whether you are a kindergarten academy, an elementary, middle or high school, or a combination. I teach at a Pre-K to 8 and it works well.
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How much does a Math Fair cost?
A math fair doesn’t have to cost a thing, if you are creative, plan ahead, and get people to help you. Parents and students can provide refreshments. The extent of decoration is up to you. To pay for miscellaneous items, you can hold a fundraiser ahead of time.
How much work is a Math Fair?
The beauty of the Math Fair is that the “work” is student created. You (and hopefully some other teachers, older students, parent helpers, or a committee of all of these people) can help with decoration, which typically takes me one day. The kids love to help. This planning guide will help take the leg-work out of the planning process.
How long is a Math Fair?
While you could leave the room set-up depending on feasibility, I suggest the actual Math Fair event runs as a two hour night-time gig, from 6 to 8pm.
I don’t teach math. Could I use this program to organize a Social
Studies or Science Fair Night?
Yes! The major goals are to display student work, have activities and games, bring in any pertinent groups, and have a general atmosphere of celebration. You could do those things with any subject.
If I have a question, can I email you?
Yes! My email is [email protected] . I would also love to hear feedback about how the Math Fair worked for you!
Where did this idea come from?
The amazing folks (Professor Patricia Gysling, Felicia Franklin) at West Chester University in West Chester, PA began holding family math nights years ago, where college students led games for student participants. I have since adapted it to my own purposes and I hope you will do the same
Now let’s get started!
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Tips to Get Started Planning a Math Fair Night
Share your ideas and this guide with some people who will help you. I often say, “I feel like I’m throwing a math-y wedding,” and we all know a good party takes a village. Talk to your grade partners, department coordinators, the principal, and don’t forget your students! If you use this guide to keep everyone on the same page, requirements of time and effort will be spread out, so no one feels over-burdened and thus unwilling to participate.
Think about where you could hold this kind of event. In our school, the Math Fair works best in the gymnasium. If you have a library, cafeteria, or even a hallway of classrooms where this set-up would work better for you, do that instead.
Use what you have. I pull out filler activities and games using things in my closet and manipulative storage. You have a box of magnifying glasses? Think of a way to make use of them in a game. It could be as simple as printing out numbers in really small fonts, and younger age children magnifying and reading them aloud.
Games and activities do not need to be crazy-math-genius level. You also want to consider the age of students attending. I plan more activities for K-5 students. I figure my middle schoolers are looking at their projects, eating, and checking out the raffles/photo booth corner.
Dressing things up, even the same games they play every day in school, makes them novel at a night-time event.
Make sure you have tables, outlets, entrances/exits, and parking available. Put clear, direct signage everywhere. Block off where you do not want anyone to go.
“Brand” your Math Fair event. I pick a new theme every year that plays on math. You will see a sample list of themes. I get a logo that goes with my theme, and put it everywhere. T-shirts, signs, electronic mailings, you name it. Themes will be unifying, and make each year’s math fair seem new and exciting.
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Sample Themes for Your Math Fair Night
- “Math is Sweet.” Decorate with Candy Land themed items, like paths made
out of construction paper and cardboard lollipops. Have costumed students hand out bulk candy, and raffle off sweet treats. Ask parents to bring in assorted sweet goodies.
- “Math is In-Tents.” Your math students will be happy campers when you
include shadow puppets, pitch some borrowed tents, and have an overall, bear-y good time.
- “Math Ahoy!” I typically hold my math fair in the fall, when summer decorations, like pirate stuff, are on clearance. Have students walk the plank, practice navigational skills, and dress up like πrates.
- “Math Outbreak.” Okay, maybe zombies would be more of a high-school theme. But how fun would that be?!
- “Math Monsters.” This could work around Halloween or just monsters in general.
- “Math Will Take You Outta This World!” Tape a huge coordinate grid on the floor, and have students navigate the solar system as one activity. Connect with science and project a planetarium on the wall or ceiling.
- “At ______School, Our Mathletes Can’t Be Beat!” Sports, physical activities, and math go hand in hand. Create a math obstacle course.
- “Starring…Math!” Host your own Math Oscars. Decorate with stars and red carpet.
- “Walkin’ in a Math-y Wonderland.” Tie your Math Fair in with the winter season.
The possibilities are endless!
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Things to Do At Your Math Fair
Peripheral Stuff
Have a raffle. Raffle off one or more math-themed items or baskets.
Sell t-shirts. I have new math fair shirts printed each year, but you could sell any school apparel. If you can get plain shirts, have kids decorate their own.
Have a refreshment area. You could sell the refreshments, or have something standard you give out. Soft pretzels are cheap, cheap, cheap.
Entertainment
Have some student volunteers dress up and circulate around the room. I used old posters to make math sandwich boards, worn by 8th graders, who walked around and told math jokes or interesting facts.
Set up a photo corner. Use an old sheet, make a wall of posters, tape some wrapping or bulletin board paper up, give the kids some random props, and print out some signs for them to hold. Let them use their phones to take pictures, or have a parent/teacher volunteer to snap shots.
Face Painting. Paint math symbols, E=mc2 and your standard smiley faces and hearts on your adoring participants.
Community
Invite admissions representatives and teachers from your local high schools (or the middle school, or even a college or two) to have tables. I set aside an entire area of the gym, where they can hang banners, show promo videos on their laptops, and answer parent/student questions about their schools, specifically their math courses and programs. See the picture above.
Are there any groups that tie in with your theme? At my camping-themed math fair, the boy-scouts had a table with their popcorn fundraiser. Tie in a career day vibe, and reach out to math professionals in your area. Get a calculator salesman to set up a table.
Ask youth-groups and alumni to help give tours, read at a math story book corner, or perform various tasks like face painting and parking.
Use the Math Fair as marketing promotions for your school! Literally, alert the media! I write to my local papers, and they usually send someone out to photograph, interview, and cover the event!
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And of course…the
Academic Component!!
Display student work. Tape papers to the walls and call it a “Gallery,” rally everyone to having a math-themed bulletin board, put models or larger items on tables. Label everything with the students name, like they are the artists and here are their creations. If it doesn’t jump up and run away, display it.
Tie in and display some kind of contest. Maybe a math poster contest, or a math essay sweepstakes. I set aside half of the gym for a science-fair-like competition. Students work the entire trimester on a math-related inquiry or experiment. They complete a report, make a tri-fold board, and try to catch the public eye with props. Award the ribbons the night of the Math Fair so older participants want to come, and their parents will love walking around to see all of the projects. My project directions, ready for you to print, are included at the end of this guide.
Have some games or activities for students to play themselves, play with each-other, for students to show their parents, and for students to play with their parents. These could be as simple as a Math Coloring Page station, or something along the lines of the interactive stations that follow:
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Sample Games/Activities/Stations o Math Twister – write numbers or problems on an old Twister mat and
spinner!
o Fishing for Facts – write operation problems, or anything! on paper fish affixed with a paper clip. A template is attached for you. Students pick them up using pencils tied with magnets.
o Board Games – Pay Day, Monopoly, Battleship, Yahtzee, even Black
Jack! Just call it, uh, something else…
o Bingo! Everyone loves Bingo. This could take up a large area and entertain a lot of participants if you want to have fewer stations or activities.
o Build a 100 Cup Structure. Buy a giant bag of solo cups. Let the kids entertain themselves – they really are using engineering skills!
o Math Towers – building blocks (Legos too!) can be tied in with math.
o Sand Art or PlayDoh– “Make Numbers” for little guys!
o Living Magic Square – tape off a grid on the floor. Students have to move cards around to solve the Sudoku problem.
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o Fraction Pizzeria – many applications!
o Math Jenga
o Guesstimate – Fill a jar(s) with candy. Have students and parents submit their guesses about how many are in there.
o Origami – I always have a student who is crazy about origami and
willing to teach others some simple crafts.
o Tangrams – The Dollar Store often has sets, just spread them out on a table.
o Bean Bag Toss Math – throw the bean bag through the answer to your
question.
o What’s My Word Worth? I buy word-wall strips from the dollar store, affix a price sheet of how much each letter is worth, and the kids calculate the value. Encourage them to find the value of their own name, etc. If you have money manipulatives, use them here.
o Math Mini Mart – see if you can borrow fake or non-perishable food
items from someone. Have kids shop, total, or answer specific questions you write beforehand. A sample price list is attached.
o Foul Shooting – record the fraction, decimal, percent, or just count the
number of shots you make.
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Woah!
That seems like a lot! How do I get people to help me? Enlist students. I have a Math Club at my school, of anyone who wants to get
together to do math-y things (like throw pumpkins out the window – see my other TPT stuff!) once a month. I ask these kids, and the friends they drag along with them, to staff and supervise the activities listed above. You could ask older kids who seem like future teachers, who are responsible, and/or who like working with younger students. Take this to the Student Council. And, you can always offer extra-credit (or in my school, a No-Uniform-Today or Homework Pass) for help/attendance.
Present a game plan to your fellow teachers and principal. Talk this over at faculty or department meetings. If every class does just one thing to hang up, that’s an awful lot!
Communicate with parents. One parent learned I was doing a candy-themed
math fair, and she lent me an entire, heaping pile of handmade Candy Land decorations from her child’s last party! Another great way to organize parent contributions is online sign-ups, like http://www.timetosignup.com/info/
Hold a fundraiser a couple weeks before hand. If you make a little cash with a
bake sale, that will pay for your decorations!
Build a rapport with community members. Stay in touch with a newspaper
columnist, reach out to high school admissions people and explain how many prospective students they will have in one place, etc. Also, high school and college students needing community service could be invaluable!
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Suggested Planning Check List
Summer/September
Gather a committee. Start with other teachers, administrators, and student groups.
Pick a date for your Math Fair Event. Be sure to clear or reserve this date with all necessary parties.
Select a location within your school building – the gym, cafeteria, etc. Brainstorm themes and select one. That way, ideas can start popping into
your heads, and if something should go on sale, you can buy it. People cleaning out their garages won’t throw away their pirate ship plank if they know you could use it.
Two to Three Months from the Event
Create and collect projects that can be displayed from this point out. If you choose to use the Math Fair Experiment Project, assign it now.
Email career professionals, special groups, admissions departments, and anyone else you hope to have in attendance.
Send out a Save the Date in any parent or school mailings and start to get students pumped up!
Order any t-shirts or items that will require shipping. Begin assembling games/activities.
One Month from the Event
If you are holding a fundraiser, like a bake sale, to offset any Math Fair costs, do so now.
Have games/stations materials ready to go in labeled Ziploc bags. Use the attached list to organize who will be supervising each station.
Draw a diagram of your anticipated set up.
Two to Three Weeks from the Event
Have students make invitations to give to their parents, grandparents, younger grade buddies, etc.
Publicize sign-up lists for refreshments. Masking Tape. Make sure you have lots and lots of masking tape.
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One Week from the Event
Collect and begin to hang up any student work, including the experiment tri-folds.
Make daily, fun announcements leading up to the Math Fair reminding students to come.
Touch base with community members and helpers, giving them directions, and your contact information.
Day of the Event
Use class time to set up tables and recruit students to help with any decorating or arranging. No homework today!
Wear comfortable shoes! Wear a name tag so you can be identified as someone in charge. Allow for clean-up time. Bask in the math celebration that you will want to have again and again!
After the Event
Publish a thank you to all involved parties.
Let the community know about your success – post pictures, get it out there!
Have students write a reflection on the process and their ideas for next year.
File/store things away so they can be reused.
Let me know how it went for you!
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Resources
Shindigz.com – Fabulous items to carry out a
theme. For example, items in the picture to the right can be ordered separately and at low cost.
Party City and The Dollar Store – Never
underestimate the impact of cheap, plastic tablecloths.
Pinterest.com – Wonderful, visual way to organize your ideas.
Teachers Pay Teachers – get pre-made stations and activities here!
Surveymonkey.com – collect suggestions for or on your Math Fair.
Timetosignup.com – Line up your helpers!
Notebook and Pencil – have a good, old-fashioned, dedicated space for
planning purposes.
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Documents Appendix
Math Fair Investigation Project Guidelines
Sample Save the Date
Sample Letter to 7th and 8th Grade Parents
Sample Post-Fair Thank you letter
Math Mini-Mart Price List
Signs for Various Games, Activities and Stations
The next six pages are the guidelines I give to my middle
schoolers for the Math Fair Investigation Project.
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A Math Fair Investigation Project Name: ______________________________________________ Grade: _______________
The school Math Fair is a graded project. It is also a competition. Projects will be displayed at our school Math Fair the night of ______________________. Your project should show what you learned in an investigation of your choice. You will learn how to conduct an investigation, make a hypothesis and test it by doing an experiment you design. Then, you will present your findings on a project board that explains the results of your experiment. You may work with up to two other students in your class, or three people total. You do not have to work in a group, and may complete this project independently. Group Members: _____________________________________________________________ Important Due Dates: _____________________: Problem/hypothesis checked for approval (on lines below) _____________________: Rough Draft Worksheet due
_____________________: Project boards/Good Copy Worksheet are due. _____________________: Math Fair Night. My problem: __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ My hypothesis: ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Approval: _______________________________________________
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What goes into a Math Fair project?
Components:
1. Purpose - a statement describing what you are trying to discover. It should be written in the form of a question. You can also use the problem statement as the title of your project. 2. Hypothesis - a prediction that can be tested by conducting an experiment. A hypothesis is an informed guess. 3. Materials - a list of all the equipment and supplies you plan to use in your experiment. List the items by quantity, in column form. 4. Procedure - a list of all the steps for your experiment in the exact order you will perform them. Be clear, but keep it simple. Other people should be able to repeat your experiment by following your procedure steps. 5. Data – a record of all the observations and measurements made in your experiments. This could include any measurements, survey results, photographs, etc. 6. Tables & Graphs – visuals comparing and contrasting the data. The data you collect should be organized so it is easy to understand. Record all measurement with their units. Be precise and accurate with any calculations. Then graph them using the most appropriate type of graph (bar, line, circle, or leaf-plot) to show any trends. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE GRAPH OR TABLE. 7. Relationship-to-Mathematics – explain all math skills, calculations, or principles used in the investigation. Minimum of five sentences. 8. Conclusions – stating if your results agree or disagree with your hypothesis and explaining how. Begin your conclusion stating in writing if your results agreed or disagreed with your hypothesis. Write about any problems that happened during your experiment that may have affected the results. All findings should be explained. Any claim you make should be supported by the data (evidence). Explain how your project contributes to real-life situations.
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Trifold Board * One trifold board per group. Names and grade on the back. Each component must appear on the board in the order it is in below. Each should be clearly labeled “Purpose” or “Hypothesis”, etc.:
Your Title/Purpose goes in the middle section. Data, tables, and graphs go in the middle section. Be colorful, creative, and neat. Think about the board’s visual appeal. You want people to stop and look at it during the Math Fair! No handwriting – everything must be typed! You may bring items/props/materials to display in front of your board. For example, if you researched sun dials, make one and bring it in!
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MATH FAIR PROJECT IDEAS A good math project should solve a problem or answer a question using math skills or principles. Here are some interesting ideas you might want to investigate. All investigations must be approved.
o What are magic squares? o What are tangrams? o What are tessellations? o Is probability affected by the number of sides on a die? o What are triangular and square numbers? o How does temperature affect the state of matter? o Where’s the math of computer language? o How are music and math related? o What’s the best way to make money in the Stock Market? o What math is used in Extreme Couponing? o How are fractions used in advertising? o Can Math be Found in Nature? o How Were the First Calendars Created? o Unplugged Calculation: How Does an Abacus Work? o What are Fibonacci Numbers? o What is the Golden Mean? o Cash, Debit, or Credit, What in Your Wallet, St. Thomas? o How do sundials work? o What is the average amount of time St. Thomas students watch TV? o Math and the Election: What is Electoral College? o How do you calculate batting average? o Who is the better quarterback? Tony Romo vs. Michael Vick o How do we measure success in sports? o Which country has had the most Olympic success determined by population
per medal? o Cooking with Math: How do Fractions factor into Food? o How does making a wedding cake apply math skills? o How does a slide rule work? o What was $100 worth, 100 years ago? o How many balloons would it take to float away your little brother? o How can we represent the solar system with a scale model? o What car is the better buy? The Camaro or the Mustang? o Which is the better product: Pepsi or Coke? o Can a fossil be man-made? o Conduct your own survey to answer a question. (Must have 50 responses)
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Roug
Rough Draft
Investigation Worksheet
Investigator(s): ______________________________________ Grade _____
1. Purpose Question: ____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. Hypothesis: ___________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. Materials:
4. Procedure:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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5. Data: (may need to write “See Attached”)
6. Tables and Graphs: (may need to write “See Attached”)
7. Relationship to Mathematics:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Conclusions:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Dear Parents of Seventh and Eighth Graders,
Autumn is flying by! In the midst of a very busy time of year, comes an important step in your middle schooler’s education: selecting a high school. Seventh grade students and parents are beginning to gather information about prospective schools, and laying groundwork by taking practice admissions tests. Eighth grade parents and students, when not attending Open Houses, or shadowing in a potential high school, are probably buried under stacks of forms and paperwork. In the rush of this process, one may feel inundated with information about a school. However, we have a very special opportunity approaching, where you might gain specific insight into the math departments your child could encounter in area high schools.
At our Math Night, on __________________________, there will be a number of displays, activities, and other goodies. An especially valuable resource will be the booths set up by a number of local high schools for you to browse. These are not only general admissions people, but specifically their Math Departments, math coordinators, teachers of mathematics, and current students. They will have specific math department, course guidelines, suggested tracks, and materials information. Are you wondering what calculator to buy before next year? Does the school have options for planning your student’s course schedule? Are there opportunities for math application, like Physics Olympics, or Mathletes? Come and ask those who would know best!
The networking opportunities to be gained by attending the Math Night are numerous. I have told students that when they run into these personnel later, wouldn’t it be impressive to say, “I met you at my school’s math night. I was working as part of the Math Club. I plan to be as involved in my high school as I am in my grade school”? Sometimes, a conversation or something to be remembered by (“I was the student with the solar system display”) is all it takes to make a wonderful impression. Perhaps talking to a real-live math student will give your student a sense of what to expect in the years ahead.
The following high schools will definitely be in attendance: ______________________________________________________________________________ Several other schools may join us at the last minute, or attend unofficially.
Students who attend the Math Fair will receive the satisfaction of seeing their projects displayed, and participating in some engaging activities. Please consider attending, if only for a half an hour. As always, please keep me abreast of anything I can do (letters of recommendation, paper work, etc.) to aid in the high school process.
Sincerely,
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Activity Sign-Up List Names (First/Last)
Decorating/Set-Up:
Parking:
Snacks:
T-Shirts:
Raffles:
Greeters:
Student Ambassadors:
Story Corner:
Activity #1 _____________________________:
Activity #2 _____________________________:
Activity #3 _____________________________:
Activity #4 _____________________________:
Activity #5 _____________________________:
Activity #6 _____________________________:
Activity #7 _____________________________:
Activity #8 _____________________________:
Activity #9 _____________________________:
Activity #10 _____________________________:
Clean-Up:
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Some of my favorites for a Math Story Corner
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Tangrams
See if you can make
the shapes using the
colored blocks!
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Number
Games
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Pizza
Fraction
Frenzy!
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What’s
My Word
Worth?
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Math
Hoops
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Math
Board
Games and
Puzzles
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Origami
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Snacks
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Raffles
$1
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All
donations go
to the Math
Club!
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T-Shirts
Buy them
tonight!
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Guesstimate Guess how many candies
are in the jar. If you are
the closet, you win the
candy! Winners announced
tomorrow in school!
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Fishing
for
Facts
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About the Author
My name is Amy Mills and I
teach 6th, 7th and 8th grade
math at the suburban
Philadelphia Catholic school that
I attended as a child. I am also
the math coordinator, I run a
Math Club and a Girls
Empowerment Club, and I coach
volleyball. I am a nerd, I live on a
farm, I think my jokes are funny
much to my Students’ chagrin and I
am addicted to coffee.
Check out my other products on
Teachers Pay Teachers.
Happy Teaching!
“Nearly three-quarters of U.S. fourth graders report liking mathematics, seeing it as practical and important. If mathematics continues to be seen as interesting and understandable, students will remain engaged. If learning becomes simply a process of mimicking and memorizing, students' interest is likely to diminish.” National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
