Shannon VanderMale, the math coach at Essex Elementary School (EES) for the past four years, is excited for the launch of EES’s inaugural Summer Math Passport program. The passport contains math equations related to various businesses, non-profits, buildings, and historical sites throughout the town of Essex.

“Our Summer Math Passport is designed to get kids into our community with suggestions in town for each location, but it could also be adapted so they can complete it wherever they are in the summer,” said VanderMale, who taught at EES for 12 years before becoming the math coach. “For each location, there’s usually information you have to gather and a spot in the passport where they solve their problems. It’s about trying to get kids to see how math works in everyday life.”

The idea was inspired by a presentation by Susan Dalka at the Atomic Math Conference a few years ago. After hearing about it, VanderMale knew she wanted to implement the idea at EES. She began to gather information and put together the project with some slight changes. With each location in the passport, there are different entry points for students, which is a twist on Dalton’s grade-level presentation.

“The idea presented had activities at each grade level, but knowing that we have students who work above or below grade level, I wanted a tiered activity to give the kids multiple entry points,” said VanderMale. “For example, it might ask students to price out a breakfast for themselves and a friend to start and beyond that would be how much change would you get from a $10 bill. It is showing kids that they can find math in their community and we can engage kids in math in a fun way.”

Each passport includes more than a dozen locations and prompts for students to experience math in their community such as a coffee shop, the library, or the beach. VanderMale had originally hoped to launch the program for the summer of 2020, but after the pandemic hit, many of the locations were closed or restricting visitors.

Instead of a full launch of the program in 2020, VanderMale was able to share some different ideas for using math in the community through PTO’s page. Similarly, VanderMale issues different community math challenges to students for school breaks.

“I always tell my students to take a picture or email me when they find something mathematical in the community,” said VanderMale. “I love it when they send me something and the more the kids see they have a voice in this, the better.”

This year as restrictions were lifted, VanderMale was excited to roll out the program. Though it was a summer program, she had to have all of the preparations made by February as she then went on maternity leave. She created a video explaining the program that teachers could show the students.

After it was unveiled, VanderMale immediately began receiving feedback.

“I got so many responses from kids telling me how excited they were and how they’d work with a partner to do math scavenger hunts over the summer,” says VanderMale. “I also received so many responses from teachers saying what a great activity is.”

The students—from incoming kindergarteners to outgoing 6th-graders—received their Summer Math Passport in the final days of school. Those who still need a passport can pick it up at EES weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

While VanderMale gathered the information for the project, she is quick to point out that the Summer Math Passport program would not have been possible without the support of the EES Foundation, which provides funding to enrich the school.

“The foundation funds different programs that the regular budget doesn’t fund,”said VanderMale. “Teachers have lots of great ideas, but sometimes the budget isn’t there so for the foundation to give our school the opportunity to support those extra activities is great. They fully funded this project and it wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

Though the Summer Math Passport is not required of students, VanderMale is hoping that many students choose to participate. Those who turn in their passport with at least six activities completed at the beginning of the next school year will receive a prize and every student who turns in their passport will be entered in grade-level raffles for larger prizes.

“They’ve spent so much time on computers in the last year and this gets them out in the community,” said VanderMale. “I want it to be fun and we’re fortunate in Essex to have a lot of interesting places to go and see. I want kids to see the value in their community, get back out into community safely, and see that math is really everywhere.”