上海青浦区协和双语学校的数学眼光看美洲——衣食住行里的世界文化之旅
Experience the Americas from the Perspective of MathA Journey through Culture in Food, Clothing, Housing and Transportation
为期一个月的美洲嘉年华探索之旅落下帷幕,此次数学学科围绕“数学眼光看美洲——衣食住行里的世界文化之旅”主题，各年级开展了不同特色的项目式学习活动。在此次的项目式学习探索中，学生在老师们的引导促进下，不仅将学科知识自然融合蕴于其中，更拓展了他们对人类社会文化融合的理解。
The golden autumn season saw our month-long Intercontinental Carnival – “the Americas” draw to a close. Our mathematics team carried out Problem Based Learning (PBL) activities designed to help students experience the Americas from a Math perspective, taking them on a journey of cultures through studies of food, clothing, housing, and transportation. The aim of our activities was to expand our students' understanding of human society. As our students worked on their projects, our math teachers were there to guide and support student collaboration through the overall learning process.
“穿”在美洲—服饰中的数学美
‘Clothing’in the Americas--The Beauty of Math in Clothing
在本次美洲嘉年华的探索中，一年级数学跨文化学科探索的主题是：穿在美洲—服饰中的数学美。一年级的小朋友们通过阅读，观看，听讲等过程打开历史厚重的大门，感受美洲印第安文化中鹰羽冠的前世今生。在认知鹰羽冠文化的过程中，小朋友运用数学的眼光逐渐发现鹰羽冠中的数学元素，模仿创新设计属于自己的鹰羽冠。不仅在设计创作中加强对数学知识的巩固，同时也提升了合作，动手，探究能力。看着一年级小朋友把一个个精心准备的鹰羽冠交到老师手里的时候，老师特别为他们骄傲，小小的身体，大大的创意“世界”，期待在明年的嘉年华上看到孩子们更加精彩的学习表现！
Our Grade 1 students’ studies centered on a cross-cultural exploration of the Americas and math-themed clothing. First-graders began with an exploration of American Indian culture, gradually bringing in mathematical elements to their work. Students designed and presented their own eagle feather crowns! The guided efforts not only helped strengthen their mathematical knowledge in design and technology, but also served to improve their collaboration and inquiry skills. The teachers were extremely proud of them for their creativity! Let’s be expectant of what surprises they will bring to us in next year's Intercontinental Carnival!
“食”在美洲——舌尖上的美味PK
‘Cuisine’in the Americas-- A Bite of the Americas!
二年级的主题是《“食”在美洲——舌尖上的美味PK》，二年级同学在这场跨学科的探究学习中，在数学课堂上一起探索美洲美食文明的过程中，学习了美洲的饮食文化、历史人文、气候特点、地理特征和美食特色等。在该项目中，二年级学生首先通过网络去检索关于美洲美食的相关资料及数据，进行资料整理及数据统计，再尝试制作一种自己喜欢的美食。学生在活动过程中尝试了美味的墨西哥水果taco、造型独特的拉丁美洲饺子、美洲芝士燕麦粥等等。这些美食不仅通过成品的形式呈现给大家，学生还在台上进行演讲分享自己制作美食的食谱和小技巧。最后学生还巩固掌握了统计单元的知识，每位同学参与投票，归纳评选出班级最受欢迎的美洲美食。学生通过此次活动，提升了合作能力、探究能力、统筹能力、动手操作能力，开拓了孩子们的视野，增长了课外见闻，加深了对美洲的风土人情的了解。
The theme for Grade 2 was “American Cuisine - A Bite of the Americas”. Our second-grade students learned about the food, history, society, climate, and geographical and gastronomic characteristics of the Americas. Here PBL focused on American food but with a mathematics focus. Grade 2 students first searched for relevant information about American cuisine, collected data, and then tried to cook an American dish. Students were able to experience Mexican fruit tacos, Latin American dumplings, American cheese oatmeal, and many other types of American cuisine. Students then gave presentations of their recipes and tips for making their dishes. Lastly, each student voted for the most popular American food in their class, consolidating their knowledge of statistics. Throughout this experience students developed their skills in the areas of cooperation and collaboration. Undoubtedly, they have gathered greater insight into the Americas.
“玩”在美洲—日期里的典故
‘Entertainment’ in the Americas -- Significance in Dates
三年级的孩子从《“玩”在美洲—日期里的典故》主题出发，去了解美洲重大事件、节日和各类纪念日，在制作“节日推荐官”海报的过程中加深对年月日的理解。在这个活动中，学生们跨越世纪长河，寻找美洲历史上的今天所发生的故事，从“年月日”的话题出发，通过调查和采访身边的人，去理解不同地区的时差，去挖掘不同节日蕴藏的文化故事，对比中国和美洲同类型的节日意义，培养学生对国际文化理解和对中国文化自豪感。
《“玩”在美洲—日期里的典故》
Our Grade 3 students focused on the theme, “Having fun in the Americas – the Significance of Dates”. Here students learned about festivals in the Americas. They were able to reinforce their understandings of the concepts of a year, month, and day. Our third graders’ PBL efforts involved making posters, analyzing different time zones, and exploring the background cultural stories behind different festivals and then comparing them with festivals in China. By doing this, students fostered a stronger understanding of cultures around the world.
“探”在美洲—大数据里游美洲
‘Adventure’in the Americas -- Travel the Americas by Big Data
同学们不仅在生活中学会用数学的眼光去观察、去发现，更是要学会“用数学”。从嘉年华探究入项开始，四年级数学老师就引导学生们从各个维度，收集并整理美洲各个国家的数据信息，发展学生的分析数据能力，用比较和联系的眼光，分析数据之间的联系。在旅行的过程中，交通工具是必不可少的，听说有很多国家就连小小的车牌，都竭尽所能将自己的特色展示在车牌上。同学们从车牌文化的视角，进一步发现和认识了喜欢的美洲国家。
In Grade 4, students were encouraged to observe, explore, and apply mathematical concepts to life. Beginning with a Carnival Inquiry Project, Grade 4 Math teachers guided students to collate, organize and analyze data from various countries in the Americas. These steps helped to develop our Grade 4 students' ability to analyze data and establish connections between different data sets. One of the main conclusions drawn from their analyses was that transportation is indispensable and that some percentage of the population across a range of countries even displayed personalized license plates, as we all know!
“用”在美洲—能源守护计划
‘Consuming’ in the Americas - Saving Energy Plan
五年级学生从《“用”在美洲—能源守护计划》出发，从历史事件、所达成就、数据信息等方面了解美洲能源，在过程中加深能源守护的理解与数据所蕴含的信息。从而进一步对校园进行能源守护，学生们通过调查教室、走廊、体育馆等场所的用电情况后，实行并优化节电措施，最终将行之有效的节电措施写进“校园电能守护计划书”，将节电意识真正地落实在身边并影响更多人。
Our Grade 5 students learned about energy in the Americas through studies of historical events, achievements, and data-driven perspectives. Students also conducted a thorough investigation into energy conservation. After investigating the electricity consumption of classrooms, corridors, the gymnasium and other places, students implemented and optimized energy-saving measures. Finally, students implemented their ideas for power-saving measures by creating a ‘Campus Saving Energy Plan’.
不同年段的学生在美洲嘉年华的数学项目中学习知识，通过探究最终形成一个产品，或是研究报告、作品设计。而这种将学习环境情境化，将学习内容安排在情境性的、真实的学习活动中的学习方式，学生通过合作，共同参与真实问题解决。通在探究过程中，学生从“衣食住行”方面，理解人类社会的变化和发展，思考人类社会发展与自然环境的关系，追溯文化的起源和变迁。
Students across all grade levels participated in mathematical-themed projects in the “Intercontinental Carnival – the Americas”. Their final products were research reports and work designs. These activities paved a way for contextualizing the learning environment and combining what they have learned in class with real-life scenarios, and served to create opportunities for students to work together to solve real-life problems. Meanwhile, through the process of inquiry, students gained a better understanding of the development and change of human society from the perspective of ‘food, clothing, housing and transportation’.