Spring at MCM: School Classes Discover Outdoor Mathematics

This spring, we had the pleasure of welcoming two school classes who came to explore and try out MathCityMap. In March, the Erich Kästner School from Maintal visited us, and in April, the Heinrich Heine School from Dreieich joined us together with their Spanish exchange students.

The meeting point was the Westend Campus of Goethe University Frankfurt. After a short introduction to the MathCityMap system, the students were divided into groups of three. In these teams, one person uses the smartphone with the app, navigates the group, and reads the tasks aloud. The second person measures the objects, while the third writes down the data needed for the calculations. We always encourage the groups to switch roles during the activity so that everyone has the chance to try out each part.

After that, the teams move independently around the campus and solve engaging tasks that we select in advance to match their grade level. Depending on the group, we also provide the tasks in different languages—such as German, English, or Spanish, like during the visit of the exchange group from Dreieich. For example, the students might determine the size of the “Body of Knowledge” sculpture or calculate how many posters could fit on the advertising column next to the “Casino Anbau” building.

Thanks to the gamification feature in our app, the teams collect points as they complete the trail. At the end, a winning team is announced—and a small prize is awarded, adding an extra dose of motivation and fun.

If your school is also interested in this kind of activity, we’d be happy to hear from you! Just send an e-mail to info@mathcitymap.eu!