Start small

There are many ways to organize a successful Math Performance Festival. Here is one suggestion.

• Select a single focus for your festival: we suggest that you start with Math Poetry (see How to Write and Perform a Math Poem).
  • A single focus simplifies organization and communication.
  • A single focus simplifies teacher planning and encourages teacher collaboration.
  • A single focus helps give students and teachers a clear purpose.
• Select which grade or grades will participate (for example, grades 4-6).
• Set a time period during which students will work to write and illustrate their poems, and to create dramatic readings or songs based on their poems.
• Encourage students to author collaborative poems and to create group performances.
• Invite artists to participate and assist in the Festival.
  • Contact local artists.
  • Inquire into the artists-in-schools program in your area.
  • Involve the art teacher(s) in your school.

Think BIG

Math performance is a celebration of students' mathematical imaginations.

• Plan a celebration.
• Post students' illustrated poems in classrooms and school hallways.
• Take pictures of students working on their poems and pictures of their illustrated poems.
• Create a slide show from the pictures.
• Organize an assembly.
  • Invite parents.
  • Invite local news media.
  • Invite local celebrities.
  • Show a slide show of student work, with a sound track.
  • Have some students from each class perform their poems.
• Copy and bind all of the poems to create a math poetry anthology.
  • Print a copy for each student.
• Post the performances on your school website (with parental permission).

Share student performances

Share student performances in our Math Performance Festival.