Maths Poetry With Year 7

Over the last few weeks I have been teaching maths lessons. Having not studied maths for well over a decade this was a fairly daunting proposition. However, these were no ordinary maths lessons. The aim of the lessons was to incorporate poetry, and to explore the ways in which mathematical language and concepts can be used in order creatively to explore issues of personal identity. I would like to present a selection of poems produced by girls in Year 7. I supplied some templates in order to inspire them, but the students were very much encouraged to use their imaginations and go wherever they want with their ideas.

Equation Poem by Farzana 7P

Blue + Yellow = a blooming flower

Me – You = an abandoned soul silently drowning in a sky of grey

Dog + Cat = screeches of hate

Teacher + Failed homework = clammy hands and beating heart

Love x Emptiness = a calamity caused by untouched feelings

Summing Me Up by Khadija 7L

The inverse of me is a Business Assistant

A fraction of me is talking nonstop

If I was a shape I would be a circle, because a circle doesn’t end, so for me that means I can talk nonstop!

If I was rounded up I would be the youngest mayor of Newham

If I was rounded down I would be the most arrogant and unsuccessful person

If I was the colour white then my grandma would be the colour black because our opinions don’t match.

Summing Me Up by Sathana 7P

Me + sister = enemies

Me – Chinese takeaway = nothing

Me x twelve = me

Me + vanilla cheesecake = heaven

Me = getting whatever I want = OMG

Me – sister = friends

Me + Chinese takeaway = something important

Me – vanilla cheesecake = hell

Me ÷ 12 = foetus

Me – getting whatever I want = what on earth is going on?!

(Special mention must also go to Thanha in 7L, who came up with the line “the probability of me and maths being good friends is just as likely as a zombie apocalypse happening in 5 minutes time.”