Kalama Elementary second graders took their math lessons to Kalama High School (KHS) earlier this week, thanks to a special collaboration with the high school’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) program.
For the second year in a row, second graders from Kalama Elementary trekked across campus to meet with CTE students and program director Cory Torppa, for a real-world look at how math and measurement play a key role in various trades.
As part of their measurement math unit, the elementary students have been learning to measure objects using different standard units (centimeters, inches, feet, yards, meters, etc.) while also determining which tools are best for different jobs.
Teachers say the collaboration is a fun and valuable way to reinforce math concepts while sparking curiosity about future career pathways.
“I love trying to find ways to collaborate with our middle school and high school teachers because as a ‘Kalama kid,’ it’s fun to be back and see my past teachers, walk my old hallways, and work together as peers,” said second grade teacher Katy Pietsch.
“I think it’s so important for our young Elementary students to see where their path is headed and to think about their future,” she added. “Interacting with the big kids of the middle school and high school gives them a chance to see a version of their future selves and also to see what Kalama schools has to offer. For many kids, our CTE Program and all it has to offer is going to be eye-opening. They'll get to see pathways that they may have never considered as options for themselves. I think it's also beneficial for the ‘big’ kids to see their younger selves reflected in our second graders, and to remember how far they've come.”
