Imagine having math class at Worlds of Fun, surrounded by the aroma of the funnel cakes and greasy fries, with screams in different pitches coming from the Mamba and people racing to get to the next ride.
That’s just what math teacher Joan Knotts and chaperone Kristin Hilgenfeld did. They took the calculus class to the amusement park for a day of learning and, of course, some fun, Hilgenfeld said.
Thirteen seniors with their calculators and math packets in hand got off the school van and headed towards the closest shaded area to begin their lessons. Knotts instructed four different lessons that were 45 minutes each.
“We did the lessons next to the roller coaster that the lesson pertained to,” senior Maggie Gorman said. “It really helped us visualize exactly what each probelm was asking.”
Imagine seeing this group of teenagers dressed in grey kilts and white polos wandering around the amusement park. Knotts said the girls were not happy about wearing their uniforms, but this allowed them to keep track of each and every on of them.
Hilgenfeld said that the trip was meant to show the girls how math can relate to everyday objects, like roller coasters.
“During our time there we learned a lot,” senior Lauren Ruiz said. “The most challenging thing was grasping the concept of limits because this would be the basis of the rest of calculus. So it was extremely important that we understood.”
The girls’ assignments consisted of problems that incorporated the various roller coasters. Gorman said she didn’t think they would have been able to understand as well if they had just been sitting in a classroom.
“It was my first time on the Mamba. I was nervous.” Ruiz said. “I couldn’t back down thought. So many of our lessons used it in the examples. I had to try it at least once.”
Hilgenfeld and Knotts rode the rides along with their students.
“They even wanted me to combine some of the lessons so they could have more time fro the rides,” Knotts said.
Hilgenfeld went on the Mamba and the Patriot a few times, whereas Knotts commented on how the Mamba was shakier than she could remember.
Knotts said, “My favorite ride was the Prowler.”
She said by the end of the day Hilgenfeld wanted to continue on with all the rides, but Knotts was ready to go home.
This is the second year that the calculus class has gone to Worlds of Fun for a learning experience.
“I really enjoyed my experience. I’m a really hands-on learner, and math has always been difficult for me because there aren’t many opportunities like this,” Ruiz said. “It was a nice balance of learning and applying math to the ides.”