Elementary students tackle wildfire data at 2026 Math Meet

Students from 14 elementary schools in the Boise School District gathered to test their mathematical skills and teamwork during the 2026 Math Meet. Fifth grade teams competed on Feb. 17, followed by sixth grade teams on March 5.

This event was supported and made possible by WSP, a global professional services consulting firm, and by a $4 million National Science Foundation grant awarded to principal investigator Mojtaba Sadegh of Boise State's Civil Engineering program.

This year's team problem-solving task focused on real-world data about wildland fires in the United States. Teams used the data to develop recommendations for how wildland firefighters could be stationed across the United States to respond most effectively.

"The students showed an impressive engagement and asked the right questions," Sadegh said. "Specifically, I was positively surprised by their depth of understanding of different types of fires, beyond just burned area. For example, wildfires that occur near human settlements require far more suppression resources than those in the wilderness. It was inspiring to see how many of the fifth and sixth graders are thinking about wildfire solutions."

Throughout the event, students participated in several team-based challenges that highlighted different areas of mathematical thinking. Teams worked together on a collaborative problem-solving task, tackled spatial reasoning challenges, and answered quick-response questions. In addition, students had the opportunity to demonstrate their individual skills during a separate individual challenge.

By Suzanne Wolfkiel, Boise School District Math Coach

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