TODOS Podcast · TODOS Mathematics for ALL

S4E4: Exploring Community Mathematics Play at Math On a Stick with Nolan Fossum

·37 min·3 clips

Nolan reveals how Math on a Stick transforms a state fair into a vibrant space where kids play with math without boundaries.

This episode features hosts Teddy Chow and Sherry Kaku interviewing Nolan Fossum, a high school math teacher and TODOS board member, about his experience as a visiting mathematician at the Math on a Stick exhibit. Math on a Stick is a community mathematics play space founded by Christopher Danielson at the Minnesota State Fair. Nolan attended representing TODOS, an organization focused on equity in mathematics education. The exhibit features an open area with wood chips and tables where children play with shapes, 21st-century pattern blocks, tessellating turtles, and magnetic tiles. Nolan prepared a coloring activity based on a symmetrical square design from educator Chris Smith, allowing participants to explore shapes, symmetry, and triangle counting. Michelle Lowe suggested adding popsicle sticks so children could literally create "math on a stick" art to carry around the fair. One child constructed an intricate picture frame with popsicle sticks, while a four-year-old meticulously taped his artwork to a stick for stability. Nolan and his team also posted questions on boards with sticky notes for fairgoers, asking "Is math for everyone?" and "How do you use math in your life?". Responses highlighted math in cultural traditions, cooking, spreadsheets, and teaching, emphasizing its broad human relevance. He observed minimal parental pressure about correctness, contrasting with typical classroom dynamics, as the environment prioritized play over performance. The fair's overall celebratory atmosphere, including fried foods and games, contributed to a joyful perception of mathematics. A doctoral candidate in mathematics visited the booth with his mother, exemplifying how the "visiting mathematician" title felt inclusive rather than elitist. Nolan reflected on the tension between mandated curriculum coverage and creating genuinely engaging, playful learning experiences in his own high school classroom. He noted the fair's efforts to be inclusive, with website pages in Hmong and Somali, though the attendee demographics did not fully reflect the surrounding Twin Cities communities. Nolan suggested future collaborations could involve TODOS members from local immigrant communities leading activities to showcase their mathematical funds of knowledge. The activity's open-ended design allowed participation without privileging a specific language or cultural background, revealing boundless creative approaches. He consumed a Pronto Pup, a local corn dog variant, from a stand near the exhibit, tying into the "on a stick" theme. The tone is conversational, reflective, and enthusiastic, blending personal anecdote with educational advocacy. Listeners interested in informal math education, community engagement, or strategies to humanize and joyfully teach mathematics will appreciate this episode. Those seeking highly technical content or a critical debate on curriculum standards might find it less applicable.

As heard by us

A warm, reflective look at how Math on a Stick opens mathematical participation to more people.

Math on a Stick comes through as a thoughtful case for public mathematics, with TODOS Podcast framing Nolan's account around welcome rather than performance.

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Why you'd press play

Want a Minnesota Fair visit where math feels less like a credential and more like an open invitation?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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