Thomas Edison Elementary School fifth graders partnered with Port Chester High School students to solve a variety of mathematical challenges on June 11. A group of 23 fifth graders from Carrie Poulos’ class visited the high school to work with teacher Anton Raskin’s Advanced Placement Calculus students.

The enrichment activity was designed to empower students with the essential skills needed for higher-level math, nurturing an appreciation for math and science and an understanding of how math and science are related in the real world. Designed by the high school students, the activities challenged the fifth graders to coordinate plane plotting, use advanced formulas to find the area of various shapes and basic calculus formulas to solve problems for slope and speed.

“Some of the high school students programmed their own video games to make these math activities more engaging for the fifth graders,” special education teacher Colleen Cahill said. “The students enjoyed this special activity, and it was so much more meaningful to be able to do it in person. Several of the fifth graders said it was their favorite field trip this year.”

Earlier in the school year, the fifth graders virtually connected with the high school students as part of the program. As a culmination to their work, they met in person under the guidance of Cahill, Poulos and Raskin, who collaborated to create the Buddy Class, intertwining the realms of math and science and providing the younger students with exposure to higher-level math concepts. The three teachers received a grant through the Wipro Science Education Fellowship Program at Mercy University, further supporting their mission to provide students with enriching educational experiences.

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Date Added: 6/27/2024