Mathematics Evening with Prof. Beutelspacher

On March 7, 2017, the first Math Night took place at Steinmühle and was unexpectedly well-attended. Professor Beutelspacher from the Mathematikum in Giessen presented mathematical experiments, and the math student council, together with many students, had organized a varied program of activities.

The evening also provided a fitting occasion to honor the successful participants from Steinmühle at the Hessian Math Olympiad.

In his one-hour lecture on mathematical experiments, Prof. Beutelspacher amazed the audience with simple experiments involving geometric figures and solids, astonished them with calculation tricks, and inspired them to think through hands-on activities with scissors and paper. His entertaining explanations of the development of various number systems also highlighted the importance of mathematics for human progress. The audience was captivated and fascinated by a side of mathematics that is sometimes neglected in school.

The supporting program featured a wealth of hands-on activities, most of which were developed in class or designed specifically for this evening. The WU Computer Science Department presented “LEGO Mindstorms” they had programmed themselves; the famous chessboard legend and the legend of Achilles and the tortoise were explained; and the goat problem was examined in even greater detail. Visitors could test their math skills in an extensive quiz, crack secret codes using a computer program, marvel at geometric solids and build them themselves, try their hand at various math puzzles, solve logic problems, or try out the calculation tricks already demonstrated on stage and learn new ones. On display boards, students presented work from their “regular” classes; for example, visitors could admire beautifully designed cubes, marvel at the mathematics of honeycombs, or examine impossible solids.

The Friends of the School Association also organized a raffle featuring numerous attractive prizes related to mathematics, which were drawn on stage at the end of the event. The WU Catering Service provided refreshments for the guests, so many visitors lingered in the Steinmühle Forum for a long time, enjoying lively conversations and a great atmosphere.

Although they were unable to match the sensational results of 2015, the Sports Department is very satisfied with the 112 achievement badges earned.

With 9 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze sports badges, Class 5c emerged as the school’s most athletic class, followed by Classes 5b and 9a, which also earned 15 sports badges each.

The following students achieved particularly outstanding results in their respective grade levels:

5th Grade: Paula Auschill, 1,625 points

6th Grade: Luke Schröder, 1,483 points

Timo Baalbaki 1,495 points

8th Grade: Paul Wolf, 1,772 points

Deciel Shongo 1,748 points

9th Grade: Marc Corvin Potthast, 1,895 points

The three class winners, Paula Auschill (6a), Ellen Hilt (6b), and Emilia Ouaissa (6c) demonstrated their reading talent on December 8, 2016, during the Steinmühle school competition in front of their classmates by reading a passage from a book of their own choosing and then a text they hadn’t seen before. Paula Auschill emerged as the winner. This was determined by a jury consisting of students and teachers.

With that, Paula had qualified for the next round. At the city-level competition, held in the conference room of the Marburg Building Authority, she put on a good performance but was narrowly defeated.

The opening polonaise and the beautifully choreographed dance performances quickly put all the students in a festive Carnival mood. The students were happy to comply with the costume requirement, and many teachers had also dressed up beyond recognition. The winners of the class costume contests—which Ms. Boebel used to organize a fun game—proudly presented their outfits.

In addition to dancing, the classes took part in other physical activities: the class relays, which were a lot of fun for both participants and spectators.

And to top it all off, there were the popular Carnival fries again.