NBA Math Hoops is a community-based education program serving students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM, helping them build fundamental math and social emotional skills. This project will support NBA Math Hoops program events through the 2019-20 season, bringing together students for competition, STEM and cultural learning, and fun educational experiences.
According to the National Assessment for Educational Progress, 67 percent of students nationwide are not proficient in math, and low-income students and students of color achieve at much lower levels than their peers. These students are more likely to attend schools with fewer resources and to face external challenges to academic achievement, including greater levels of stress and less exposure to the diverse array of language and inquiry that helps drive cognitive development at an early age.
NBA Math Hoops is a simulated-basketball board game, curriculum, and community math education program that teaches students fundamental math skills. The board game features direct engagement with NBA and WNBA player statistics, the curriculum is mapped to Common Core standards and 21st Century Learning Skills, and we provide inspiring STEM-education experiences through partnerships with NBA teams, universities, and corporations in cities around the country.
Through weekly engagement with the board game and curriculum and additional program events and experiences, students gain an appreciation for math in the real world and build core math and social emotional skills while developing a passion for learning. These outcomes leave them better prepared for high school math and lead ultimately to reduced drop out rates, greater opportunities in STEM studies, and increased diversity in STEM-related fields.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
