Recently, our Grade 5 students visited the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. Our students enjoyed an on-site, hands-on, grade-level education module. Programs are built so that football fans and non-football fans alike can enjoy the learning experience. The modules are designed to integrate the many facets of sports with real world activities. The sports integration is actually a small part of the modules with the STEM or other subject matter taking much greater precedent.
In this math-focused program, students are asked to join their classmates and serve on the management team of a new NFL franchise. Using budgets, salary information and statistics from the National Football League, students analyze players’ strengths, weaknesses and salaries to assemble the best offensive unit. They also are asked to select a team name, design a logo, decide elements to include in a new stadium and present their selections in a press conference.
These skills allowed our students to apply classroom concepts and standards to real-life, problem solving activities that facilitated teamwork and cooperation.