Bike to Work Day: Adding Up the Miles

Bike to Work Day is a national event celebrated annually in the United States on the third Friday in May as part of National Bike Month.

The purpose of National Bike Month is to encourage biking as a viable, fun and healthy transportation choice for all types of trips.

Bike to Work Day was started in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists to increase public interest in biking and to promote it as an alternative for driving to work.

Here in San Diego, we will celebrate Bike to Work day on Friday, May 20.

A total of 101 pit stops are planned for Friday. They will be open from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. for bikers who register beforehand.

Pit stops offer welcome breaks for new and experienced bike riders as they head off to work or school on Friday morning.

Bikers can rest at the Pit stops and pick up a FREE T-shirt, snacks, water, and encouragement before they get back on their bikes.

To see the Bike to Work 2016 pit stop locations around San Diego county, check out the pit stop map.

San Diego county also has many scenic biking trails you can try out any day of the year.

Mission Trails Regional Park
view from one of the bike trials

Chart your bike riding course using the San Diego iCommute Regional Bike Map.

Some Excel Math employees enjoy biking to work and riding bikes just for pleasure (and exercise). 

One of our former employees ran a bike shop back in the 'seventies.

Some of our Excel Math lessons include math problems about biking. 

Take a look at sample lessons including a Grade 4 Create A Problem Exercise about biking.

If you have a favorite place to go biking, let us know in the comments below.

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Cinco de Mayo Matemáticas

This week marks Cinco de Mayo. So let's combine this celebration with mathematics (matemáticas, en Español).

In the southwestern region of the United States, May 5 is a day of celebration that includes food, mariachis, street festivals, parades and festivities of all kinds. Cinco de Mayo (the fifth of May) celebrates the Mexican army's victory over France in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla. Contrary to public opinion, it is not Mexican Independence Day, but instead commemorates a victory during the Franco-Mexican War of 1861-1867.


Cinco de Mayo is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico. But here in the United States, it has grown to become a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, especially in areas such as San Diego, with a large Mexican-American population. So bring the flavor of Cinco de Mayo into your classroom this week. Tell your students about the Battle of Puebla and the Franco-Mexican War.

Help the class understand that this was not the war for Mexican Independence, which happened several decades earlier. That holiday is celebrated on September 16.

Excel Math gives you the tools you need to help build confident, successful math students. It's even available in English and in Spanish. (See our order form here.)   

If you have some interesting ways you bring Mexican traditions into your math class, feel free to share them in the "comments" box below.

Have your students say a few math words in Spanish or other languages. You can download a Glossary of math terms in English or Spanish on our website: Math Glossary

Invite a person of Mexican heritage to visit your classroom and share some traditions with your students. Serve Guacamole or Quesadillas (tortillas with cheese). Make sure no one is allergic to the foods you bring. Sing a few songs in Spanish. Use the Spanish math terms to solve some math problems.

More than just worksheets, Excel Math lessons include hands-on visuals and manipulatives, stretches (brainteasers), cooperative learning activities, interactive opportunities (including Projectable Lessons), a finely-tuned spiraling system, a natural feedback loop called CheckAnswer, in-depth word problems,  and lots more.

Excel Math Teacher Editions are available in three versions:

Common Core

Texas (TEKS aligned and STAAR ready)

Standard (Non Common Core)

With all three versions, you receive easy-to-teach lessons (to use as a supplement or in a core position) that include Guided Practice, Basic Fact Practice, Homework, and regular assessments, all for just $12.00 per student for the entire year—just $1.00 per month for each student! 

Walk through a lesson on our website: 

www.excelmath.com/tour/tour01.html

Because Excel Math emphasizes critical thinking instead of fill-in-the-blank answers, these lessons are an outstanding bridge to the requirements of the TEKS, Common Core and state standards. Take a closer look and download samples on our website.

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