Math students create Ridgewood quilt for raffle
WEST LAFAYETTE – Math skills are so important for students to learn, but teaching only from a book can be boring and may not show the students how those skills are used in their daily lives. To help show her students how math skills are needed every day, Katie Bond, a teacher at Ridgewood Middle School, came up with a unique idea that has her classes very excited.
“Making a quilt requires so many basic math skills. The students needed to plan the size, how many squares (and how big each one needed to be), and learn to measure correctly,” said Bond. The students had to use geometry skills for this and also adding fractions. To interest the students in the project, Bond told them that they could sell raffle tickets to win the quilt and use that money to go on a field trip, wherever they wanted to go.
The 17 students have been working hard to learn how to make change for customers, using a check register (they make the deposit entries), customer service and designing a budget. The students learned that a budget will help them decide where to go based on how much money they will need for activities and food. Bond said the quilt project has incorporated all of these skills into something the students have enjoyed doing and may not have realized how much they were learning at the same time.
Casey Sharier is a sixth grader who has helped with the quilt. He liked measuring the squares the most and also selling the tickets. He said all of the T-shirts that were used are cool and he is the top ticket seller right now. His mother, Loretta Sharier, said this has been an awesome experience for her son.
“People get tired of the same old fundraisers and this one is so special. It’s different and helped the students learn so many math skills. Mrs. Bond is truly amazing and she works with each student to make sure they are learning what they need. I want to win the quilt as a keepsake for Casey,” said Loretta.
Another student who helped with the quilt is Charles Crews. He is in seventh grade and said the quilt was fun and that working together on it was the best part. Crews said he isn’t sure where he hopes the classes get to go, but an indoor water park would be awesome. He also liked using the yardstick to measure the material, but he didn’t like cutting it.
Fourth grader, Pablo Velasco, is also hoping they make enough money to go to an indoor water park. He said everything about making the quilt was fun, even doing the check register. He and Crews were a few of the students selling raffle tickets at the Ridgewood Middle School family night.
Raffle tickets are still available. They are $1 for one or six for $5. The drawing will be held Friday, March 24. The public can stop by the school during school days from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to purchase tickets (they will be selling them on the stage in the cafeteria) or Trista Claxon, principal of the school, said you can call the school at 740-545-6335 to arrange to purchase tickets.
Category: Education
