By Julie Slama | [email protected]

Math is everywhere—in the distance someone runs, the amount of wallpaper put up, the results of an election and even, the hours spent sleeping. Whether it’s indoors, outdoors, in the car or on foot, learn about math at Math Night at Midvale Elementary, and things will start adding up.

At Math Night, beginning at 6 p.m., Oct. 29, students and their families will find ways to support learning and incorporating math into everyday activities, said Heidi Sanger, Midvale Elementary community school facilitator.

“We want them to realize math is part of their daily routines and how to help parents help their student understand math is fun and all around them,” she said. “We want to increase student learning. It doesn’t stop when they leave school.”

The activities could range from cooking, where students will put their fraction and weight and measurement knowledge to the test, to mini-golf, where they can calculate getting three out of five shots in the hole to the percentage of accurate swings. Another favorite activity in the past is to graph their favorite kind of ice cream.

The night, which includes a free dinner, is the fourth annual math night in recent years. 

Last year, families had the opportunity to try 27 different game and activities from dominoes to tangrams. 

This year, with the support of University of Utah’s Greenwood Clinic and Savage Services, along with teachers and community volunteers, more than 30 games will be taught, and students will be able to take home math kits to continue playing them with their families, Sanger said.

Another positive aspect is that students will be familiar with the games when teachers introduce them in their classrooms.

“We want the night to be impactful and fun,” she said. “We want to increase family engagement and involvement so students are getting support from home as well as school to help them learn.”

Learning math will help them to be successful in many other ways as well, Sanger said.

“Through math, they are able to think, solve problems and support their thoughts and reasoning,” she said.

An added bonus for the night is that the school also will hold its annual Boo to the Flu clinic from afterschool until 7 p.m. that night. Community Nursing Service will provide child and adult flu shots, including offering CNS Charitable Care for no-cost shots to individuals and families who are uninsured, underinsured or who are facing economic hardships and do not have the means to pay. CNS will bill insurance or accept private payment for vaccinations not paid for by charitable sources.