Make Math Relevant with the National Parks

I love making math real for my students. They sit in their chairs each day wondering when they are ever going to use the knowledge they are gaining in the real world. Making math real for your students will help them gain a better understanding of why the skills they are learning are so important.

One way I make math real for my students is through word problems and the national parks. The national parks are a cornerstone of my teaching and it is so fun to incorporate them into math class.

I often hop onto the national parks website and find charts and stats that I can incorporate into word problems for my students to complete. When students know they are working with real numbers and information they instantly become more engaged.

I have created a few word problem resources to help you get started with using the national parks in math class. Each resource starts with a set of basic word problems, which includes reading a chart. Then for students who are ready for more, there is an extension handout which pushes students with the skills. Finally, there is a homework handout and an exit slip to check for understanding. And as an added bonus, there is a task card version included as well.

Check out the resources below:

Looking for even more national park resources? Check out my Ultimate Bundle, which includes all the resources listed above and all future national park resources I create (except the reading passages).

And if you are really getting into the national parks, be sure to grab my FREE history of the national parks activities here!