The Challenge is free and open to all interested individuals or groups. It is best suited to:

  • K-12 teachers and teacher educators
  • Out of school educators from museums, zoos, community centers, etc.
  • Families with children of varied ages
  • Children in grades 4 and up (though younger children can be involved as long as there are adults or older children to help in the group)

There are 2 parts to the Challenge. You can do one or both parts anytime you like during the month of March.

Part 1 of the Challenge – in Dallas
Collect your digital badges by going on math walks at any or all of the participating locations listed across Dallas. The more digital badges you collect, the more prizes you will be likely to win during our weekly raffles! Make sure to watch / listen to the video/audio guides at each stop!

Part 2 of the Challenge – Anywhere you like
Create your own math walk stops anywhere you are – in your neighborhood, your city, or even if you are on vacation anywhere you like!

How to Take the Challenge

Hear What Educators and Students Are Saying

The March Mathness Challenge
Dr. Walkington, SMU Simmons School of Education & Human Development
Dallas Zoo and Frontiers of Flight Museum
The March Mathness Challenge
Middle School Students
The March Mathness Challenge
Middle School Math Teachers

Why?

It’s March in Dallas and the weather’s great! Maybe it’s Spring Break and you’re enjoying a day in the park with friends and family! Here’s an “edutainment” challenge for you that you can do on your own or in a team. Math educators (in school or out of school), there is more information for you here. You’ll get to visit some fun places of your choice in Dallas, you’ll enjoy quality time with friends and family, and you’ll see different places (from parks to zoos, from playgrounds to art museums) in a whole new way!! In fact, you’ll see math in a whole new way, too. And, there are prizes!!

How?

Use the freely downloadable Otocast app to view your gameboard, consisting of 15 different math walks and over a hundred math walk stops across Dallas. You have a month to visit any number of Dallas locations you like from our list of participating sites. These walks were developed by the talkSTEM nonprofit and SMU under the walkSTEM and MathFinder initiatives with support from the National Science Foundation as well as several Dallas-based grant-giving organizations.

Here’s What You Do:

  1. Just download the free OtoCast app on your iOS or Android device. Tap the badge icon within the March Mathness Challenge collection of tours to log in and begin earning badges for visiting stops.
  2. Visit a minimum of 7 stops, across any math walks in the March Mathness collection, for a chance to win $50 in gift cards each week in March and two $100 grand prizes at the end of the month. The more stops you visit and learn from each week, the higher your chances of winning (that’s math in action!).
  3. Tap a map pin to select a stop and view images, read information, or get directions. When you’ve selected a stop, press the play button to begin listening & learning!
  4. Get creative! In addition, to going on app-guided walks anywhere you choose from the above list, tag @talkingSTEM and #marchmathness in a photo or selfie of you posing a math-related question of your own at one of our stops for a second entry. Include your unique question in the caption in your post. These creative entries are eligible for more prizes!

Remember to be respectful of the spaces you’re exploring, and have fun!

Note: User location data is never stored, and email addresses are only used to confirm entry in the weekly gift card raffle and contact winners. If you’d like to join the Mathfinder mailing list, visit gomathfinder.org/contact or follow the link in your confirmation email.