September 24th Exit Slip

Today's class was amazing and I really enjoyed the discussions about measurements and angles without the aid of modern tools. The seemingly endless number of possible ways to incorporate math learning into an outdoor class made me admire the ancient people who had to measure without the tools and technology we have today. I will definitely consider incorporating these activities to my future math teaching career.

When I think about how people measured lengths and areas in the past, I can only imagine the extra effort they had to put into their work and how they used whatever they had around them as tools to aid in measurement. It is fascinating to realize that we can actually use our body as tools to aid in measurement. In class, the group activity of measuring length and width using different part of our bodies was a good way to move around, immerse ourselves in nature, and learn how to apply math at the same time. It required little to no equipment and was something we can do independently. At the same time, the activity encouraged us to think about the possible ways we can measure distances.

Another activity that I really enjoyed in today's class was tracking the sun's arc using our arms and fists to estimate the angle of the arc. I had never really thought about using my fists to create an angle of arc before this activity, and I was amazed how simple and effective the method was. We also used our arms to trace the arc of the sun, starting from the South East a
nd ending in South West during winter, and from the North East to North West in summer. This allowed me to picture the path the sun takes during different seasons and helped me understand why winters have shorter daytime than summers. By incorporating this activity to my class, I can encourage the students to think about the position of the sun at different times of the year and construct an arc that allows them to visualize the arc. It's a great way to not rely on modern technology as much when solving for historical math problems.

My takeaway is that there are many different ways to solve math problems outside of calculators and rulers. The activities we participated in today's class helped me realize recognize the value of using our own body as tools for measurement. I think outdoor activities like these will definitely intrigue the students and motivate them to learn more about math and its history.