Math Trails

• The trails should be a reasonable length in time and distance-requiring no more than two hours a a leisurely pace.
• Walk the trail yourself and with friends. Try to see it through the eyes of a stranger.
• Keep the trail academically non-threatening. Do not tie it to a grade or other requirements. Give hints whenever possible. Be sure to not that not all stops need to be completed.
• Keep it lively. Look for historical background or other insights into stops.
• Use questions that will encourage discussion. Stops should not require extensive calculations, nor necessarily demand one "right" answer.
• Give a suggested list of materials to bring along - a pencil and maybe a calculator.
• Encourage the media to feature the trail. Tie the opening of the trail to a special day or week, e.g., National Education Week, National Mathematics Month.
• Encourage users to talk about the trail with friends and neighbors.
• No trail should last forever. Develop new trails for your community.