Gilroy
– Contrary to popular belief, high school students can sharpen
their math skills by watching TV.
Gilroy – Contrary to popular belief, high school students can sharpen their math skills by watching TV.
Beginning Friday and running through May, the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s Silicon Valley Instructional Television Network will produce “Math Squares Tournament,” a game show featuring high school students from around the county, including Gilroy.
The tournament program includes questions geared toward the state’s math curriculum standards.
Last year’s tournament champion, Homestead High School in Cupertino, will defend its title against Evergreen, Fremont, Gilroy, Milpitas, Los Altos, Palo Alto and Prospect high schools.
Viewers will see the schools’ teams race against the clock to solve math problems and show mastery of math concepts.
Problems are arranged in a tic-tac-toe configuration, and teams take turns choosing squares and attempting to solve problems in a 90-second time limit.
Students who watch the programs in their classrooms can test themselves against the 90-second clock. Teams will compete in four games leading up to semifinals and a final match.
“Math Squares Tournament” is scheduled to broadcast from 3:30 to 4:30pm Fridays March 4 through May 11.
The program will appear on PBS station KTEH and, in schools, on the Silicon Valley Instructional Television Network.
The tournament will air during “Math Mentor,” a homework help line television program that students in the sixth through tenth grades can call into and receive on-the-air help with their homework.
Certificated math teachers offer the tutoring every weekday from 3:30 to 5pm. The toll-free number is 453-6934.
For more information, call Laura Kinley at 453-6524 or e-mail la**********@***oe.org. A broadcast schedule for “Math Mentor” is available from Jim Risinger at 453-6633 or at ji**********@***oe.org.
