Dates/Time:
July 15, 2003

Details:
My dear Watson, consider this!? You are a detective, a crime scene analyst, or maybe even an FBI agent on a mission to solve a mystery - graphing calculator in hand - and you are just entering the 7th or 8th grade!

Graphing calculator? That’s exactly what you would use if you were one of the Harrisburg School District students, sponsored by the PA State GEAR UP Project, who spent five days on the Shippensburg University of PA campus at the Summer Science Academy for Girls.

The week’s theme was “A Mathematical Detective Mystery: Murder of the Mathematician.” In the introductory session, the Shippensburg University Police arrived, sirens blaring, and asked for help in solving the seven “murders,” thus providing motivation and focus for the week’s work. Twenty-eight girls, divided into teams of four, were charged with uncovering clues to reveal a murder mystery.

The girls had to determine the who, when, where, why and how of each deed using mathematical applications. Methods for finding solutions included cryptology, simple calculus, algebra, statistics and deductive logic. During the investigative process, tools employed were graphing calculators, a GPS system, library research and digital cameras. The groups created PowerPoint slide presentations which they delivered to an audience of impressed family members and teachers at the week’s conclusion.

Not All Work...

Upon arriving at Shippensburg University the Harrisburg students and their family members took a campus tour. The girls also attended a college information session with University GEAR UP Coordinator Becky Mercado and campus GEAR UP volunteers Ruhshanna Williams and Andre’ McLaurin who talked with the girls about planning for college. The Shippensburg students engaged the girls in conversations about their academic goals and McLaurin and Williams shared their personal stories about making college a reality.

The Harrisburg girls felt that meeting new people was the most meaningful aspect of the academy. They also indicated that living the college life for a week and working in a college environment were among the things they most enjoyed. The time that Shippensburg students spent with them was a highlight of the week. But, they especially liked staying in the dorm and having a sleep-over with other girls on the last night of camp!