Hands-On Math

University of Massachusetts > STEM > February 2009 | Hands-On Math

TRANSPORTATION CLOSE-UP | Airboats

Motorboats don't do well in marshy, wetland environments.  The water is too shallow and there's too much vegetation.  Anything with wheels isn't going to get very far either.  The solution is an airboat--the vehicle of choice for rangers and biologists who work in wetland areas.  Show your students how it works, what it's for and the types of terrain it can cover.

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PROBLEM SOLVING | Bobcat Stats

Students in the role of zookeepers create scatter plots of height and weight data to determine if the bobcat they've been assigned to care for is underweight.

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HANDS-ON MATH | The Robotic Hand

NASA engineer Larry Li built a robotic hand that can catch a baseball and grasp a wrench.  While it'll probably be a long time before we see robots playing first base in the World Series or repairing our cars, a robotic arm is very useful in outer space.  Show your students how it works.

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HANDS-ON MATH | The First American Coins
-President's Day Special-

When George Washington first took office, the United States didn't even have its own system of currency.  Some of the first American coins were made partially out of silverware that First Lady Martha Washington donated to the newly formed US Mint.  Talk about giving back to your country!  Show your students that the stories of their money can be rich in history and math.

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DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE | New York City's Water Tanks

It's easy to take water for granted--we turn the faucet and out it flows. But every city has a different story behind how that water gets to the faucet with pressure, and New York City's story is unique.  Show your students why almost every rooftop in New York City has a large wooden water tank on it, and find out why technology that's hundreds of years old is still the choice today.

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | Reliable Robots

With millions of miles between them and their robots, NASA's robotics engineers have to make sure they have thought of everything before they send the robots on their way.  Show your students how probability plays a crucial role in designing the robotic systems that we rely on to carry out missions in space too dangerous or difficult for humans.

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ANIMALS | The Black-Footed Ferret

The National Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Program is considered one of the most successful captive breeding and release programs in the world.  They've gone from just eighteen animals to a wild population of over 750 and rising. Treat your students to a rare visit inside the main facility behind this remarkable effort, and introduce them to wildlife biologists who are using math, science and lots of dedication to recover a species once thought extinct.

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LIVING & WORKING IN SPACE | Food in Space

Take your students on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Space Food Systems Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center.  It is here that Dr. Michelle Perchonok and a team of food scientists are developing the meals for upcoming missions to the Moon and Mars.

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