By accessing creative portions of the brain through dance, Pre-K students can more easily learn math concepts like spatial awareness and critical math knowledge prior to formal assessment in elementary school. This early foundational learning creates educational equity by resulting in a month of additional math learning before ever stepping into an elementary classroom. At a very fundamental level, when students have access to math learning in Pre-K through the performing arts, they are more than a month ahead of their non-Pre-K peers when they enter a Kindergarten classroom, (Ludwig, Marklein, & Song, 2016). Arts-integrated math learning engages both hemispheres of the brain and all types of students, especially English Language Learners (ELL) and those from lower socioeconomic status, benefit academically from such experiences. Math and movement residencies bring equity and access to the classroom by preparing students with critical foundational knowledge in math prior to encountering formal math concepts in Kindergarten.

Engaging with subject matter in isolation stymies creativity, promotes rote learning, and limits development of divergent thinking skills. Conversely, a transdisciplinary approach to math develops critical and creative thinking skills, strengthens problem solving capacity, and promotes metacognition. In this pilot study, the design-based research process began with sharing initial intervention ideas for elementary Math lessons with participants at an international elementary Math conference. Utilizing participant feedback as part of the iterative process, three specific interventions for second-grade Math concepts were designed with intentional infusion of Science and the Arts. The ultimate goal for this research is the design of an effective elementary Math curriculum offering authentic, real-world learning through a transdisciplinary approach.