‘It’s a big world out there’: Teachers take math outside the classroom

But teachers don’t need to plan extensive field trips to teach math outdoors. A short walk around the block can have the same impact, said Tim Erickson, a math education consultant based in Oakland and author of “Get It Together: Math Problems for Groups, Grades 4-12.” He’s created math lessons that have students heading outside to measure the radius of a sidewalk curb, learn ratios by measuring staircase risers and determine the distance between San Francisco and Los Angeles by measuring a car’s wheel diameter. (more)