NumbersAlive! Foundation

NumbersAlive! Foundation creates engaging community-oriented content that augments curriculum.  The content alleviates student/community math anxiety;  increases mathematical thinking using visual technology and local physical materials; and mentors students to write, design, and speak about their learning. Students research, discover and speak about math’s relevance and uses in their environment while creating student-centered films and maker activities.  Sample activities/lessons that create a solid foundation of math relevance and reasoning for life and careers include:  Geometry Talks; Numeracy Activities; Edible Math; Being a Puzzle Maker; The Entrepreneur Math Toolbox; Building NumberOpolis!; and The Numbers Show.  Since the activities are adaptable to all environments, they are easily scaled globally.  We began the journey of scaling the studio-filmed Numbers Show to the on-location student-designed Global Traveling Numbers Show after completing the prototype, Cinco de Mayo. Covid postponed the April 2020 planned student-focused film in Botswana’s parks and conservation centers.

Mathematical thinking/reasoning encourages outside-the-box thinking necessary to investigate and solve local and global issues.  According to OECD’s PISA, the ability to reason logically and present arguments in honest and convincing ways is a skill that is becoming increasingly important.  However, mathematical thinking, logical reasoning and developing convincing presentations are rarely taught as part of core curriculum.

NumbersAlive! Foundation focuses on investigating questions posed by students and adults that encourage discussion and mathematical thinking.  Examples include: When will I use a trapezoid? If an octopus loses a “leg” is it still an “octopus?”  Discussing such questions, rather than focusing on getting the “correct answer” to quasi-realistic math “problems” encourages a positive relationship with mathematics for learners of all ages anywhere with or without internet. Exercises remain useful to increase skills without losing focus on the original questions/goals.

Covid-19 disrupted traditional in-school classes.  Teachers/schools immediately needed to rely on families as full partners in the teaching and learning of their children.  We responded by creating and updating prior activities/lessons making them adaptable to local living environments.  Starting with the question, considering tools needed, and discussing the approach to the investigation in the learner’s voice taps their imagination/creativity and develops mathematical thinking.

NumbersAlive! Foundation places students at the center of their learning. We encourage students to become “math makers” and speak about math in their own voice.  The content alleviates math anxiety by making math relevant/meaningful to students/families using cross-disciplinary lessons, discovery and storytelling.  Our activities augment curriculum and increase mathematical thinking to create a solid foundation for life and careers. All activities are adaptable depending on time, location and participant requirements and can be completed with available materials. Three samples follow.

Numbers in the Park  takes students on student-focused local adventures.  We post daily social media versions that are adaptable short family-friendly activities based on photos or current events.

The Numbers Show uses film as a platform for numerically-linked dialogue. After creating studio episodes, apps, and an animated film, we began incorporating students into the entire content creation process, from writing to puppeteering, voicing, and filming/editing. We have begun collaborating with local filmmakers worldwide to create episodes.

Building NumberOpolis! incorporates design-thinking to construct an entire town for numbers 0-9, and math/science constants. Building number-linked houses encourages students to think “outside-the-box” and create using non-standard shapes. Adding town buildings and infrastructure suggests possible careers and introduces entrepreneurship.

NumbersAlive! Foundation targets teachers, families, and K-12 students from all communities needing activities to alleviate math anxiety, increase learning engagement, and encourage mathematical thinking.  Focusing activities/lessons on questions raised by students within areas of their interest flips the approach to “student-up” from “teacher-down.” We provide hands-on activities and group projects that demonstrate the usefulness of math by investigating actual local questions/issues adapted to the age or sophistication of the learners.  

All of general activities and lessons are easily adapted to local environments everywhere in the world whether or not students have access to quality connectivity. Dr. Klemm has brought her ideas to diverse students around the globe as well as teachers of Syrian refugees in the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon, near the Syrian border; towns in the Caribbean for the US Department of State/USAID; and disadvantaged and well-connected students in USA and UAE.   Math is a universal language and group projects including design-thinking and student presentation of their creative ideas have excited learners in diverse locations and shown them how math will be part of their daily life and any career.    

We ask students to identify their interests and what they think about math (what aspects are fun, boring, difficult, etc.).  The lessons are then adapted  to their interests and discussed in conjunction with the students identifying those interests.  We augment with necessary topics often not mentioned by students (i.e., finance/budgeting, measuring to renovate a kitchen, teamwork, etc.).  Students learn how math is useful in areas of their personal interests, as well as those of their peers, and how to speak about their math learning. This student-focused approach allows them to personally observe the usefulness of math rather than be told “You will use this someday.”  

The film “Cinco de Mayo” demonstrates a NumbersAlive! Foundation collaborative student-focused quality learning experience for children in low- or high-connectivity families. Students were involved in imaginative play as they participated in ALL aspects of the film:  developing the script; becoming the voices and handlers of number puppets; creating costumes and graphic designs; etc.  They learned  life lessons of collaboration over individual success by having to cut/remake a quality film.  The School Board, teachers, and parents were amazed to watch students excited about learning math and a 2nd  language while collaborating with students of diverse skills and backgrounds.

NumbersAlive! Foundation activities and lessons evolved from 10+ years of designing and implementing programs and activities with thousands of students, teachers and families at public events, maker fairs, festivals and classrooms around the world.  “Numbers in the Park” evolved as a result of Covid in Washington, DC to 100-200 students and family members.  Small group lessons will be tested in July 2021 to 100+ disadvantaged students identified by schools and partner organizations in greater Washington, DC.  Building NumberOpolis! has been presented at maker fairs and schools to 500+ students and teachers. The 2019 film “Cinco de Mayo” was created with 20+ 5th/6th grade students and teachers of Youngblood Intermediate School in Houston, TX.  Covid postponed our approved April 2020 plans to work with teachers, Ministries of Education and Tourism, a local filmmaker, National Park professionals and local students to create 1+ films  about  “Animal Patterns and Conservancy” in Botswana.

NumbersAlive! Foundation alleviates math anxiety as we help students, teachers, and community members develop mathematical thinking skills using a variety of engaging activities everywhere, even in areas of limited connectivity.

Our approach is innovative because mathematical thinking is rarely taught in schools. According to OECD’s PISA, mathematical reasoning supports
everyday living, careers and economic development in any country. We know of no other organization that integrates mathematical thinking to address local issues with the contemporary communication method of filmmaking.  

The diversity in style of our portfolio of inquiry-based activities across physical learning tools/patented puzzles, maker activities, number scavenger hunts in the environment, design-thinking Building NumberOpolis!, and creation of original number-linked films accommodates diverse learning and teaching styles.  All involve students discussing their approach in their own
words so that math becomes personal and relevant to their lives. Math is not taught separate from other subjects, but as a communication tool – a life ally—when responding to issues in virtually all disciplines. 

Math questions arise when students interact with each other: trading in the lunchroom; creating games in the playground; or carrying on conversations when they think nobody is watching. Students ask questions like “How do we count clouds?” Such student-focused questions create opportunities to discuss numeracy and investigate when counting is and when not a useful tool. Flipping to questions rather than answers and being student-focused could really change math education positively for most learners. It will, however, require teaching teachers and community members to think like learners.

Dr. Klemm worked directly with thousands of students, parents and teachers during the 12 years developing and testing our project-based learning tools at public events, schools, festivals, and conferences, including ISTE. We worked with diverse nonprofit organizations (i.e., Boys and Girls Clubs, United Way, STEM groups, Anxiety Center, etc.)  

As a result of Covid’s disruption of classroom teaching, demand increased for many of the ideas we had been developing by bringing them to public spaces in Washington, DC.  We realized it was prudent to transition to a public charity in 2021—NumbersAlive! Foundation.

During its first year, 2021, NumbersAlive! Foundation will directly serve around 1,000 different students in greater Washington, DC through collaboration with The Washington, DC School Board and area nonprofits:  Mission of Love Charities; Boys and Girls Clubs; Girl Scouts; and RESET as well as schools, parents and community leaders.  We hope to work directly with 10,000 students in the greater Washington, DC area during 2022.  

We hope to work directly with over 100,000 students globally in five years.  We believe the estimate is plausible as we were recently shortlisted to be showcased on the 2021 HundrED website and weekly interest to collaborate with us.  STEM groups have requested we provide engaging Math projects.  We hope to hold teaching events in conjunction with the creation of student-led films in USA, Botswana, Colombia and UAE.  Dr. Klemm taught Syrian refugee teachers in the Beqaa Valley in 2018 and we will return to assisting those teachers when possible.

As part of her research firm, Dr. Klemm led many program evaluations using both quantitative and qualitative methods. We expect to use both methods to measure our progress.  To avoid a conflict of interest, we will engage an independent contractor(s) to perform the formal evaluations.  

Since many schools did not test students during 2020 or 2021, we may not have "before" scores to compare to those after being a part of our program.  We will measure engagement and ability to create cognitive stories about their learning and determine their math level using standard tests.  

In 2022 we will: 

1.  Collect systematic responses from 8,000+ parents, teachers or community leaders as to the reactions of students to the student-based activities they participated in with partner community organizations or schools.  

2.  Survey and interview all 10,000+ students prior- and post-working with us to obtain both their opinion and demonstrated ability to utilize math to investigate diverse real issues covering numeracy and geometry.  We will observe and watch how students attack actual issues with mathematical thinking before and after working with us.  We will have teachers and adults video our interactions with the students and how and when they were disengaged.  

Within the next five years we hope to revise the evaluation methods used during 2022 and apply to at least 100,000 adults and at least 100,000-150,000 students in various locations in the US and around the world.

We will adjust the programs in response to the comments and growing database of findings.   

NumbersAlive! Foundation includes 2 full-time, 1 part-time and 5-20 contractors to execute the activities. Similar to how Dr. Klemm led a research firm for 30+ yrs, NumbersAlive! Foundation augments a lean in-house team with a wide team of experts in diverse disciplines who cheerfully mentor students about mathematical applications.  

Rebecca Klemm, PhD (Statistics) is a lifelong educator, inventor, entrepreneur, world traveler and advocate for mathematical thinking.  She founded a research firm in 1988 and NumbersAlive! in 2010 after presenting a life “bucket-list” musical about math.  Parents and teachers were intrigued by the storytelling approach and asked her to create learning tools to increase numeracy linked to their established curriculum.  She tapped her experience in sewing plush toys to create, test and manufacture integrated plush numbers, books, apps, puzzles, and team projects (i.e., Building NumberOpolis!). In 2018 she assembled a production team to launch “The Numbers Show Starring Zero and the Digits” presenting math’s relevance through engaging number-linked dialogue. In 2019 the team executed a prototype student-led film incorporating mathematical thinking throughout the production from scriptwriting, to acting, game creation, and filming “Cinco de Mayo.”  Teachers, parents and administrators were excited about the result. 

NumbersAlive! Foundation (public charity as of 2/2021) is proud to have a leadership team of women educators who have worked together developing and leading NumbersAlive! activities.  Dr. Klemm has taught and mentored students of all ages in mathematical thinking and entrepreneurship for 30+ years. Iris Wesselmann, DEd, our Youth Content Adapter, is an experienced MS Math and Science educator passionate about exposing students to STEM careers. Andrea Perez Losada, our Bilingual Elementary Content Adapter, has 5+ years of experience teaching in underserved communities in Colombia. All three are advocates for education equality, women’s rights and using education to make a positive impact on others' lives.

NumbersAlive! Foundation is committed to working with students around the world with diverse or unknown skills and interests. We start from scratch and ask questions of learners' interests (students or teachers, parents or community leaders).  Since math is a universal language with an intriguing history around the world, we adapt the stories and lessons to incorporate local issues and cultural number links.  For example, we mention that "Kowloon" means 9 dragons when teaching in Hong Kong; discuss 7 as the number of Emirates when teaching in UAE; mention the 9-tailed fox when engaged with Japanese students; and discuss the symbolism of the 7 spokes of the crown of the Statue of Liberty as meaning the "world" and the single flame as unity.   We have developed numerous numeric link stories by asking  students and teachers to observe and create stories of numbers in their own culture.

Dr. Klemm taught Syrian teachers of Syrian refugees in the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon and has led professional development in areas of the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and North America.  Dr. Wesselmann has taught in Europe and USA and Ms. Losada has taught in Colombia and USA.

We are committed to adapting our activities to students anywhere in the world. We will determine appropriate partner organizations and monitor  their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.  We are currently working with learners in the wards of Washington, DC with families from the highest and lowest social-economic levels.

NumbersAlive! Foundation applied to MIT Solve primarily for the prestige of  being named an MIT Solver.  As a baby public US charity, we need recognition to increase the likelihood of getting additional recognition and grant funding.

We are looking for assistance in navigating the diverse and increasing demand for our creative content.  We could use advisors to help us identify potential partners and individuals for the Board of Advisors or organizational board.  

NumbersAlive! Foundation would like assistance in many of the areas listed.  As a baby USA public charity organization, we need to increase our "educational neighborhood" around the USA and world so we can collaborate with appropriate mission-comparable organizations.  When young, it is often exciting to work with any organization wanting to partner but navigating decisions to say "no" can be very important, and, perhaps more important than navigating decisions to say "yes."

We located app, website and 3D developers in the USA to develop our initial apps, website and animated songs.  The developers used are too busy to update and continue developing new content.  We would like assistance in identifying new folks, perhaps MIT students, looking to help with technology that assists educating students.  

Although Dr. Klemm has the credentials to evaluate our program, we understand that she has no credibility to evaluate a program she helped develop.  We need suggestions of one or more individuals who can evaluate a program with the diverse types of technologies we offer in different locations around the world.

We welcome assistance in improving our program packaging prior to pitching to potential funding organizations as well as suggesting organizations to approach.  We could use assistance in public relations now that we transitioned to NumbersAlive! Foundation, a public charity.  We need to discuss whether, and if so, how we should present ourselves differently in our social media, website and printed materials.  

NumbersAlive! Foundation would like to partner with organizations with comparable missions.  Although they might be organizations teaching mathematics, it is perhaps more likely that they provide content in reading or science so that together we could integrate the two or more disciplines.

We would be very interested in MIT Professor Erik Demaine joining  NumbersAlive! Foundation's Board of Advisors.  Dr. Klemm shares his interest in geometry, transformations, and art. 

NumbersAlive! Foundation wishes to apply for the ASA Prize for Equitable Education.  We present project-based learning content and include teachers and students as joint learners when creating episodes of The Numbers Show,  a digital solution tailored to K-12 students.  (Films created with children in grades K-4 are shorter and less complex.) We are used to integrating professional development into our activities--teachers and parents learn along with the students.

We are very interested in the Indigenous Communities Fellowship.  It would be a lot of fun to create a film that would address the development of math systems and language in an Indigenous Community(es).  I can imagine a game illustrating cultural images and numeric meanings, dialog and movement introducing cultural dances, costumes, and music.  Historic building patterns or cooking approaches could be part of the content discussed.  

Dialog is a wonderful approach to teach a lot of otherwise potentially dull details.  One person/puppet can inquire and the other respond using comedy and tragedy.  Visual graphics and costumes can bring the dialog even more lively and can illuminate details. We believe such a film would be a valuable product to demonstrate the creative energy and story of the Indigenous Community(s).  It could become a PR video for the Indigenous Community(es) developed and produced by students, teachers and members of the community(es).

NumbersAlive! Foundation would like to apply for the GM Prize.  We believe we are qualified as we would suggest selecting a STEM subject and discuss it by Building NumberOpolis!, one or more episodes of The Numbers Show, or a combination of both.

The team might decide to investigate infrastructure in one town over time or across towns in very different locations (one in a modern town in a very developed county and the other in a rural town in a developing country).  The dialogue could include a discussion of what infrastructure includes today, 50, or 100 years ago, as per the 2021 political conversation in the USA. If the topic of infrastructure were sewers, the investigation could include how it has changed over time or how difficult it is to repair or update.  The subject is fertile for funny jokes and human situations we all understand.

We believe the joint project would likely be best since it would allow for two different approaches to discuss the same issue.  It would not only show the use of two different teaching methods, but also how different viewers might prefer one method over the other.  There would be no "right answer" but it would demonstrate how learners prefer different approaches.

The team might include GM vehicles in the different locations or the same location(s) over time.

Just think of the fun outtakes!

NumbersAlive! Foundation would like to apply for the Innovation for Women Prize.  We believe we are qualified as our leadership team of women would work with women and girls to select a topic relevant to them (i.e., designing clothing, addressing recycling, etc.) and lead them throughout the project.

If the team decided to investigate designing clothing, we suggest creating a digital episode of The Numbers Show.  The team would have to research fashion trends during the time(s) of interest (current, 1890's, Roman period, etc.) or individual designs of a new designer.

Dialog is a great way to introduce an overall theme and then augment with a game, graphic designs, jokes, music, dance, etc.  The possibilities are endless which is one of the learning skills--perseverance and being willing to cut some terrific footage.  

The film could include dialogue to empower women and girls to consider becoming an entrepreneur.  (Dr. Klemm would have many items to discuss since she has been a serial entrepreneur.) We would include issues of developing a business, how to decide which products to include in the portfolio, and how to price the products.  The mathematical thinking applications are numerous, understandable, and would allow women to consider approaches to ensuring they can support themselves financially.

The costume designer would have a critical role.  It would be a terrific, engaging learning project.  

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