English
The circle, one of the most enchanting geometric patterns in human civilization, has been a timeless source of inspiration across various fields, from philosophy and art to science. These geometric figures, hidden within the natural world, provide fundamental explanations of life and existence, serving as crucial clues for scientists exploring the mysteries of the universe.
Galileo once said, "Mathematics is the language of the universe." How can we spark students' interest in the endless wonders and surprises within mathematics and encourage them to understand the pursuit of knowledge and rationality behind this language? Today, Beijing Haidian Kaiwen School hosted a grand mathematics-themed event—π Day. Through a series of meticulously designed campus activities, the event aimed to ignite every student's "little universe of mathematics" and stimulate their mathematical thinking.
The π Around Us: From Perception to Application
From a child's perspective, the world is full of vibrant colors and boundless imagination. This year's π Day for the elementary section saw students transform into "mathematical adventurers" under the guidance of their teachers, exploring the kingdom of π. Each child carried a "checkpoint map" and participated in various math games. Upon collecting six "checkpoint stamps," they received the ultimate "grand prize," gaining mathematical knowledge, experiencing teamwork, and creating precious school memories in the process.
The elementary mathematics group designed various math activities based on the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) teaching philosophy that the division adheres to, considering students' actual situations. Respecting different stages of cognitive development, the activities were tailored to different age groups, allowing children to appreciate the charm of mathematics through games and interactions suited to their growth stages.
For kindergarten and first-grade students, keywords like "shapes" and "colors" guided the activity design. Math enlightenment activities focused on colorful collages, paintings, and lightweight clay modeling, along with physical activities like "Sandbag π," stimulating children's visual and tactile senses. These activities also followed principles of brain neuroscience, promoting early brain development and enhancing spatial cognition and physical coordination. Activities for second and third graders embodied the "Pictorial" aspect of CPA teaching, with events like "π Skyline," which reflected modeling thinking by using images to express problems, paving the way for abstract thinking. Sudoku games evolved into "Target Sudoku," encouraging children to concentrate, analyze, follow rules, and use reasoning and logic to solve problems. For upper elementary students, unique activities like "Spherical Puzzles" added a multidimensional aspect to the traditionally 2D circle. Sudoku also upgraded to "Dot Sudoku," offering more opportunities for collaboration and communication. These engaging and open classrooms made the seemingly abstract and stern subject of mathematics "warm, boundless, and personalized."
Competitive π: Entering the Thrilling World of Math Competitions
While the elementary section's π Day emphasized "games and experiences," the middle school's activities focused on "math and competition" with an intense instant ranking competition. Inspired by the University of California, Berkeley's math competition model, this year's event introduced a captivating "Countdown" mode, allowing students to share the excitement of math competitions in breathless anticipation, further boosting their enthusiasm and interest in mathematics. This platform also highlighted the math talents hidden within Haidian Kaiwen's middle school.
Teachers’ Insights on π: The Motivational Chain of Math Learning
"Mathematics is a subject that quickly brings a sense of joy," says Fan Yiqiu, head of the elementary mathematics department at Haidian Kaiwen School. For this π Day, Ms. Fan and her team organized the elementary activities with an efficient, simple, and goal-oriented approach, reflecting the style of her regular classes.
Ms. Fan believes that sparking students' interest, guiding them to build confidence in math, and helping them enjoy learning math are crucial. Once the learning loop of "interest-confidence-motivation-learning performance" is formed, students can effortlessly handle their elementary studies and carry this intrinsic motivation and good study habits into the more self-directed middle school environment, further developing lifelong mathematical literacy and logical thinking skills.
The middle school mathematics team, primarily composed of foreign teachers, includes Stephen Pattenden, Daniel Bodanske, Jose Shen, and Nader Mansour. They focus on cultivating students' interest through tiered teaching methods, allowing students of different levels to comfortably face the challenges of middle school mathematics. With a reasonable teaching system and competition coaching mechanism, more students have participated in the school's math activities, gradually benefiting from the math classroom and making progress.
Whether in elementary or middle school, whether foreign or local teachers, the staff adheres to group research, grade preparation, and real-time observation of students' learning performance, ensuring every student enjoys high-quality math learning. The diverse talents of many outstanding teachers are fully utilized, with the school actively supporting them to leverage their strengths and build a learning-oriented, innovative subject group. From this perspective, this year's π Day not only illuminated every student's path to learning mathematics but also showcased Haidian Kaiwen's rich mathematical culture.
Cross-Department Collaboration: United Efforts for Student Engagement
As an annual event, Haidian Kaiwen School's π Day saw various departments actively invest and cooperate seamlessly to ensure students "learn safely and happily."
Starting this semester, the logistics department communicated actively with the elementary section, purchasing teaching materials related to the activities and preparing delicious "π Day pies" for the students, making the unique math class smell sweetly of baked goods. The elementary administrative office coordinated with various subject groups and teachers, drafted detailed timelines, clarified activity procedures, and prepared assembly and dispersal plans, kindly reminding students not to consume too much sugar. Kindergarten life teachers accompanied children in games, constantly checking if they had runny noses or were dressed warmly. The middle school administrative office organized students' orderly participation, with every detail contributing to a comprehensive support system for joyful learning, built from the corners unseen by the students.
On March 14, during this year's π Day, everyone participated in activities, solved puzzles, competed passionately, discovered the joy of mathematics, savored the pleasures of life, inspired their minds, and explored the unknown. It guided us to break free from fixed thinking patterns, sparking innovation and problem-solving abilities. We believe that through such experiences, everyone can appreciate the beauty of mathematics, gain a sense of achievement and joy in learning math, and transform the campus into a garden of wisdom and happiness.
The Marvels of Mathematics: Exploring the Infinite Possibilities of π
The circle, a captivating geometric shape in human civilization, has long been a source of inspiration across various fields like philosophy, art, and science. These geometric forms, present in the natural world, offer fundamental explanations of life and existence, serving as vital clues for scientists exploring the mysteries of the universe.
Galileo famously said, "Mathematics is the language of the universe." How can we engage students with the endless wonders and surprises in mathematics, helping them understand the quest for knowledge and logic behind this language? Today, Beijing Haidian Kaiwen School hosted a grand mathematics-themed event—π Day. Through a series of thoughtfully designed activities, the event aimed to ignite every student's passion for mathematics and stimulate their mathematical thinking.
π in Everyday Life: From Perception to Application
From a child’s perspective, the world is full of vibrant colors and boundless imagination. This year's π Day for the elementary section transformed students into "math adventurers," exploring the realm of π with their teachers' guidance. Each child carried a "checkpoint map" and participated in various math games. Upon collecting six "checkpoint stamps," they received the ultimate "grand prize," gaining mathematical knowledge, experiencing teamwork, and creating precious school memories.
The elementary math group designed various activities based on the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) teaching philosophy, considering students' actual situations. Respecting different stages of cognitive development, the activities were tailored to different age groups, allowing children to appreciate the charm of mathematics through games and interactions suited to their growth stages.
For kindergarten and first-grade students, keywords like "shapes" and "colors" guided the activity design. Math activities focused on colorful collages, paintings, and lightweight clay modeling, along with physical activities like "Sandbag π," stimulating children’s visual and tactile senses. These activities also followed principles of brain neuroscience, promoting early brain development and enhancing spatial cognition and physical coordination. Activities for second and third graders embodied the "Pictorial" aspect of CPA teaching, with events like "π Skyline," reflecting modeling thinking by using images to express problems, paving the way for abstract thinking. Sudoku games evolved into "Target Sudoku," encouraging children to concentrate, analyze, follow rules, and use reasoning and logic to solve problems. For upper elementary students, unique activities like "Spherical Puzzles" added a multidimensional aspect to the traditionally 2D circle. Sudoku also upgraded to "Dot Sudoku," offering more opportunities for collaboration and communication. These engaging and open classrooms made the seemingly abstract and stern subject of mathematics warm, boundless, and personalized.
Competitive π: Entering the Thrilling World of Math Competitions
While the elementary section's π Day emphasized "games and experiences," the middle school's activities focused on "math and competition" with an intense instant ranking competition. Inspired by the University of California, Berkeley's math competition model, this year's event introduced a captivating "Countdown" mode, allowing students to share the excitement of math competitions in breathless anticipation, further boosting their enthusiasm and interest in mathematics. This platform also highlighted the math talents hidden within Haidian Kaiwen's middle school.
The hands-on math activities for students of all grades encourage them to find connections between math and daily life. Some students start to think about circles and spheres in the natural world, such as planets and stars, and from microscopic cells to large organisms. They mention that through these math lessons, they "see the elegance and efficiency in the laws of nature."
Following the excitement of the competitions, middle school students gain clearer learning objectives through both competition and teamwork, which further strengthens their motivation to learn.
Teachers’ Insights on π: The Motivational Chain of Math Learning
"Mathematics is a subject that quickly brings a sense of joy," says Fan Yiqiu, head of the elementary mathematics department at Haidian Kaiwen School. For this π Day, Ms. Fan and her team organized the elementary activities with an efficient, simple, and goal-oriented approach, reflecting the style of her regular classes.
Ms. Fan believes that sparking students' interest, guiding them to build confidence in math, and helping them enjoy learning math are crucial. Once the learning loop of "interest-confidence-motivation-learning performance" is formed, students can effortlessly handle their elementary studies and carry this intrinsic motivation and good study habits into the more self-directed middle school environment, further developing lifelong mathematical literacy and logical thinking skills.
The middle school mathematics team, primarily composed of foreign teachers, includes Stephen Pattenden, Daniel Bodanske, Jose Shen, and Nader Mansour. They focus on cultivating students' interest through tiered teaching methods, allowing students of different levels to comfortably face the challenges of middle school mathematics. With a reasonable teaching system and competition coaching mechanism, more students have participated in the school's math activities, gradually benefiting from the math classroom and making progress.
Whether in elementary or middle school, whether foreign or local teachers, the staff adheres to group research, grade preparation, and real-time observation of students' learning performance, ensuring every student enjoys high-quality math learning. The diverse talents of many outstanding teachers are fully utilized, with the school actively supporting them to leverage their strengths and build a learning-oriented, innovative subject group. From this perspective, this year's π Day not only illuminated every student's path to learning mathematics but also showcased Haidian Kaiwen's rich mathematical culture.
Cross-Department Collaboration: United Efforts for Student Engagement
As an annual event, Haidian Kaiwen School's π Day saw various departments actively invest and cooperate seamlessly to ensure students learn safely and happily.
Starting this semester, the logistics department communicated actively with the elementary section, purchasing teaching materials related to the activities and preparing delicious "π Day pies" for the students, making the unique math class smell sweetly of baked goods. The elementary administrative office coordinated with various subject groups and teachers, drafted detailed timelines, clarified activity procedures, and prepared assembly and dispersal plans, kindly reminding students not to consume too much sugar. Kindergarten life teachers accompanied children in games, constantly checking if they had runny noses or were dressed warmly. The middle school administrative office organized students' orderly participation, with every detail contributing to a comprehensive support system for joyful learning, built from the corners unseen by the students.
On March 14, during this year's π Day, everyone participated in activities, solved puzzles, competed passionately, discovered the joy of mathematics, savored the pleasures of life, inspired their minds, and explored the unknown. It guided us to break free from fixed thinking patterns, sparking innovation and problem-solving abilities. We believe that through such experiences, everyone can appreciate the beauty of mathematics, gain a sense of achievement and joy in learning math, and transform the campus into a garden of wisdom and happiness.
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Principals.Office@hd.kaiwenacademy.cn
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