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Googol Learning

2007 winner

Carbon Offsetting

Tim and Glen D.
Age
11
Kentucky, Illinois
Math principle(s) learned:
Estimation
Comparisons
Arithmetic
Definition of carbon neutral
carbon-offsetting.jpg
Idea details:

We decided to learn more about carbon offsetting. Carbon offsetting is a way to offset the greenhouse gas emissions that we incur. With our mom, we completed a carbon neutral calculator that gave us a score using the average expenses for our family for the year of 10.3 which was larger than average. We were surprised!

We decided we should try to be carbon neutral for one week. My brother and I walked everywhere during this week. We wouldn’t let our mom drive us to soccer or anything. We tracked what we did and wrote in a journal.

We made these changes:

  • No air conditioning.
  • No driving in a car (we took the bus).
  • We didn’t cook any food –all of the food we ate was raw or came pre-cooked.
  • We didn’t eat any meat. My brother hates beans but he ate them anyways.
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Biking and The Three Bears

Michael C.
Age
14
North Caldwell, New Jersey
Math principle(s) learned:
Measurement (inches to feet, miles to feet)
Division by decimals
Pi
Circumference of a circle
Rounding numbers
biking-three-bears.jpg
Idea details:

Concept
In an effort to teach younger children math, I take standard fairy tales and include mathematical problems in order to help them better understand different math ideas. By using fairy tales that children have heard over and over, I am using these stories so they can relate to them therefore learning is quicker and more fun.

Process
An example of what I would do: Let’s use the story of Goldielocks and the Three Bears, a story that almost all children know and love. First, I would incorporate a family activity, such as riding bikes, into the story. Finally by asking a series of questions that relate to the above principles, children will solve the mathematical problems.

Problem

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