WS Chronicle

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 …. Blast Off!  

That’s the sound of the “human computers” of Diggs-Latham Elementary Visual & Performing Arts A+ Magnet School completing all 10 stations during their annual Math Curriculum Night.  

As February ended and we wrapped up our celebrations of Black History Month and Magnet Schools Month, the Math Night committee planned a curriculum event that was integrated on multiple levels and subject areas.  

The evening honored the historical African American “human computers,” Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, the “Hidden Figures” of NASA, who worked on Project Mercury in the 1960s and helped Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom and John Glenn become the first men in space by calculating their orbital trajectories.  

One Math Night station included a “museum” of photos, articles, and QR codes for video clips that further explained these historical human computers. Several students and staff members dressed as scientists and mathematicians, especially in honor of these “Hidden Figures,” as they were named by writer, researcher and entrepreneur, Margot Lee Shetterly. 

Throughout the event, grade levels and teams made connections to space in their thematic math games and activities. Kindergartners practiced addition through “Moon Rock Math”, while first graders made computations in “Space Jump.” Second graders were human computers in “Hidden Star Math,” while third graders applied measurement on graph paper to create a collaborative “Freedom Quilt,” referencing Underground Railroad quilt ymbols. Fourth grade students continued to “blast off” as they worked through word problems to make their way into a rocket launch through a maze and tent. Fifth graders set up their own “lab,” utilizing the windows to work through “Rocket Launch Word Problems” to finally launch a foam rocket with a soda/mentos experiment. Students also completed two challenges created by the specialists/arts team, including an interactive, digital “Space Music Adventure” and “Dancing to the Moon” that required computations to progress through the dance steps. 

“Our student Human Computers in Tiger Nation are true portraits of a graduate. During math night, they had to exercise durable skills, especially adaptability, communications, and in many instances collaboration, to complete the tasks at hand. Families were fully engaged in an enjoyable and meaningful experience while learning and applying math skills,” explained principal, Dr. Cassandra Dobson. 

“The student engagement during Math Night was highly rooted in curiosity as families worked their way through activities with real world connections. Students reflected on how science and math are connected and were the defining factors in getting us into space,” shared Assistant Principal Traci Latta. 

A few added highlights of Math Night included the biannual book fair, a space snack station, raffles, a photobooth and face painting. Student volunteers from Parkland High School and Reynolds High School painted symbols of science, math, and space on students’ faces. A thematic photo booth offered students props that transformed them into astronauts or even aliens. Everyone who completed all 10 stations was entered into a drawing for a basket full of math tools and books for learning at home, including the “Hidden Figures” novel or picture book. 

“In just T-minus approximately 90 minutes, we had liftoff,” exclaimed Magnet Coordinator Amanda Gordon. “Students and families enjoyed applying math skills in such an enjoyable and meaningful way and as always, in true Tiger Nation style, we integrated aspects of our visual and performing arts magnet theme while celebrating and honoring Magnet Schools Month and Black History Month.”  

Roger that!