Discovering Euler Circuits and Paths through a Culturally Relevant Lesson

Deep in the heart of southern Louisiana's Cajun country, middle school students enter a mathematics classroom. They hear Cajun music playing in the background and observe cattails and cypress knees “growing” along the bottom of the classroom walls. Foam crawfish lie on plastic bayous on the tables around the room. The room is filled with excitement for what is about to occur. These students begin to question each other, and ask: “Is this math?” “Perhaps we're going to skip math and do social studies?” “Maybe we are going to learn how to do a Cajun line dance?”