Thursday and Friday, November 17-18, 2022
Douglas lake, BC

https://uppernicola.com/departments/education/nkwala-school/

After 10 years, Math Catchers were back to N'kwala School in Douglas Lake, BC. During our two-day visit we met with all N'kwala students and staff.

With the youngest group, K-Grade 3, we draw rabbits on the board to help us count things that we do not see; did some serious strip twisting and paper cutting; discussed if some very big numbers were odd or even and watched the "Small Number and the Old Totem Pole" film. When Veselin, later, asked students to name the animals in the movie, one of the students said something that Veselin couldn't understand. "That is our word for a bear." explained the teacher.       

With the intermediate class, Grades 4-7, we solved some very difficult puzzles, explored the properties of a one-sided surface, and measured various objects to conclude that whenever we divide the circumference of a circle with its diameter we gat a number that is a bit bigger than 3. The class teacher has promissed that on the next Pi Day, each student will get their favourite pie!

With the high school students we talk about their plans for the future and discussed the presence and importance of mathematics in our every-day lives. As the last activity of our visit, each high school student built a hexastix. That was a proud and happy moment for everyone.

Thank you to Mr. Tyler Ernst, the N'kwala school principal, for his invitation, and thank you to all members of the N'kwala school's community for their hospitality and help during our visit.