Race car math

Eighth-grade teacher Kathryn Spivey of Waldorf, MD, uses geometry to put her students in the Winner's Circle: At the start of the NASCAR season, I created a unit that incorporates geometry skills and word problems based on real numbers from the past Sunday's races. To encourage my students, I place two magnetic "racetracks" on my bulletin boards--complete with a magnetic race car for each student.

As the students complete graded assignments, their cars move around the tracks. Each student's goal is to reach the Winner's Circle. To get in, they must obtain at least a C for the term. Last year, 90 percent of the 120 students who participated ended up in the Winner's Circle. I threw an ice cream party as a reward.

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