Unfortunately this year, we were not able to be in classrooms in person like usual. Buddies4Math wanted to continue the program, bringing us all together again even if it was virtual, and we were able to make it possible with the help of the BTB staff and all the high school tutors. Continue reading to see all the things we did this fall semester with the Landels students!

Namita

Throughout the year, we have been using Google Tours and math activities in our weekly sessions. The Google Tours, developed over the summer, allow students to explore the world from their own homes. The students visit different locations, and are taken on tours of various cities, states, and countries, while also answering math questions. Each Google Tour focuses on a different topic. The math games are also fun, interactive ways for students to practice their math skills.

Anya

Last semester, students in second grade and third grade read books like Joe Scores a Goal and The Cat in the Hat. They showed enthusiasm in recalling their knowledge of the books through occasional questions. Students in fourth grade and fifth grade engaged with a variety of texts, such as Holes and Out of My Mind. Some students were already familiar with Holes, and preferred the sense of adventure offered by The Lightning Thief. Overall, the time students spent reading last semester introduced them to a variety of works and hopefully helped foster a love of literature.

Aditya

At the start of every lesson, we do a set of icebreaker activities for the students to take part in some fun activities. We played games such as Would You Rather and Group Story Time. In Would You Rather, we would show the students two pictures, such as brownies and cookies, and the students would choose which one they preferred. For the Group Story, we would start off the story with a sentence which would usually include a protagonist. Then we would have the students add on to these sentences, which would end up forming a story. These activities were a great way for us to get to know the students and for them to express their favorite things to do. Overall, the icebreakers helped the students participate more and encouraged them to communicate with others.

VIRAJ

As a cumulative of all the work the students put into the program, Math Carnival was a perfect way to cap off the year. In previous years, Math Carnival was an in-person event that featured rewards for participating in entertaining math activities. Unfortunately, current conditions prevented Buddies4Math from hosting the usual in-person event, leading to an online version to be created. The online version of Math Carnival spotlights a quick math tour as well as a reading, ending with an opportunity to spend the points the students earned over the semester. Students were able to earn points through participating and answering questions correctly during the normal sessions, as well as during Math Carnival. Students were able to pick the prizes they wanted, and based on how many points they had, spend them to create a shopping experience! Tutors were then able to package each individual student’s prizes and send them to their houses. We hope that the students were able to enjoy their prizes and reward themselves for all the hard work they put in!

Jonathan