MEXICO — Thirteen elementary teachers from Meroby Elementary School and SAD 17 spent Wednesday and Thursday refining math learning based in nature as the new school year approaches.

Work began June 22 on the pilot project to create outdoor math lessons based in nature. The teachers were joined by three facilitators from Maine Math and Science Alliance, Cheryl Tobey, Hannah Lakin and Becky Tapley. The project was funded through a $30,000 grant from the Betterment Fund.

Tobey said she’s seen teachers getting excited about the opportunity to think outside the box in creating math problems that can be used in nature. She added it’s hoped children will become engaged with the teaching in nature and the project will also relieve the anxiety many face about coming back to school after learning remotely last year.

One group teachers made up of Kelcie Virgin and Kathryn Virgin of Meroby Elementary School in Mexico and Laura Waite of Otisfield Community School, created two geometric slow reveal math problems for kindergarten to second grade students, using sticks they found outside the school.

Waite said she came up with the idea during a planning session held earlier by the group.

Tobey said this and other math projects will be highlighted on the Maine Math and Science Alliance website, mmsa.org, in hopes other schools will adopt the projects and develop their own to teach children.

“We are seeking additional funds to bring more western Maine teachers together, as well as teachers across the state. Our goal is to provide a resource bank for teachers,” she said. “It’s play spaced in nature so that what you’d be able to do in western Maine is something different than what you can do if you’re living on a coastal area in Maine.”