Slam dunks and STEM: RUSMP challenges area students at School House Mania

Special to the Rice News

The Rice athletics department and the Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP) welcomed more than 3,500 students from Houston-area schools at the seventh annual School House Mania Dec. 19 at Tudor Fieldhouse.

Prior to the men’s basketball game between Rice and the University of St. Thomas — which the Owls won 103-70 to improve to 8-4 this season — the RUSMP team guided students through interactive activities focused on math and science.

Anne Papakonstantinou, director of RUSMP, led a visual tour of Rice via a slideshow that highlighted the history of the university and the geometry of the architecture on campus. Carolyn White, RUSMP’s director of mathematics programs, led a game of “Sammy Says,” a twist on the classic “Simon Says” in which students were urged to follow only the directions given by Rice mascot Sammy the Owl and demonstrate their knowledge of computation and geometry. As the basketball teams warmed up on the court, Papakonstantinou and White provided mathematical clues to help students figure out the Owls’ jersey numbers in a game called “Guess My Number.”

Following a review of geometric transformations, the stands rocked as White led students and teachers in the “Transformation Shuffle.” Students then took a slideshow tour of Houston, during which they answered questions related to science and math. The math continued during breaks in the basketball game, when students were challenged to answer questions related to real-world situations.

This was RUSMP’s sixth year collaborating with Rice Athletics on School House Mania. Since 1987, RUSMP has extended Rice’s reach and impact in pre-K through high school education by providing high-quality support for precollege institutions across Texas. RUSMP is a catalyst of sustained, progressive change in education through its numerous programs for leaders, teachers and students.

(Photos by Geoff Winningham)