Metcalfe County Middle School students run ice cream parlors to learn algebra

EDMONTON, Ky. (WBKO) - Students at Metcalfe County Middle School are opening their own ice cream parlors this week as part of a hands-on algebra lesson built around linear systems.

Inside Mrs. Buddie Brockman’s algebra class, each team researches products, prices ingredients, and compares costs before a single scoop is served.

Students must calculate startup costs — from ice cream and cones to toppings and cups — then track every dollar earned and spent.

“They have to create their own ice cream parlor. They have to look up the supplies, order the supplies,” Brockman said.

Using systems of equations, teams analyze their sales and expenditures to determine which group is turning a profit.

“That’s their first equation. Their second one is how many they sell. And then they put both those equations together and they solve them using elimination to see where they cross,” Brockman said.

Beyond the numbers, students said the project changes how they experience learning.

“It makes it way fun because you’re not sitting down in a classroom just looking at a smart board all the time or on a Chromebook. It’s actually getting up and collaborating with other people, communicating with people,” eighth grade student Lucas Heckel said. “That goes to our Portrait of a Hornet, which we have to do to basically get into [high school], is to show that we can defend our learning to high school.”

Each group is adjusting prices, analyzing customer demand, and refining their strategy based on the numbers throughout the week.

“I mean, as a math teacher, it’s already difficult enough to get people to like math,” Brockman said. ”So, it has evolved every year into this really awesome project that kids are so excited for 8th grade year.”

By the end of the week, the team with the strongest system and the smartest strategy will be determined the winner.

School leaders said projects like this are helping students connect classroom concepts to real-world skills.