The New PBS Math Club isn’t a club in the traditional sense of the word like a country club or a hockey club. (No secret handshakes or dues required!) It’s a whip smart web series from PBS Digital Studios that is a cool way to introduce math concepts. Why? Because it uses pop culture references to teach middle school math, aligned to Common Core standards. Each episode includes a separate interactive quiz so students can practice what they were just taught.

The instructors are kids. I use the term “instructors” loosely. The math study group members Grace, Hannah, Jazmin, Jacob and Madison don’t preach as they teach. They are simply five kids hanging out in a kid’s room talking straight to the camera about how YouTube likes are examples of how integers work. Or they spoof the movie “Mean Girls” to explain how to add negative numbers. In a lot of ways, they remind me of the tongue in cheek kids from the series “Zoom".

But don’t take my word for it. See for yourselves. I’ve included the first episode What is an Integer? and the interactive quiz to apply after it below. I also recommend that you visit the PBS Learning Media resource section for PBS Math Club. It features handouts that you can print out.

This video is aligned to the following Common Core Standard.
CCSS.Math.Cont.6.NS.C.6c ( Grade 6 ): Find and position integers and other rational numbers on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram; find and position pairs of integers and other rational numbers on a coordinate plane./>

So far one 6th grade teacher from California has used the video in class as a review for a Common Core benchmark. What about you? How would you use this in class? What do you think? Give us your feedback.

PBS Math Club: What is an Integer?

What is an Integer Interactive Post Quiz