Are you looking to share a math movie with your class? There are plenty of great math movies for the classroom to share with your kids. Math movies cover many different math topics and there are a variety of G, PG, or PG-13 films that can be appropriate to share with your kids in Elementary or Middle School.
Math Movie List
Here’s a list of math movies to add to your classroom library.
Donald in MathMagic Land (G)
Donald in MathMagic Land is about Donald Duck going on an adventure in which he learns how mathematics can be useful in real life. Many aspects of mathematics are covered. Students review geometry, music, nature, and much more. You can get the DVD here.
Hidden Figures (PG)
Hidden Figures is about the true story of three brilliant African-American women at NASA, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. Students learn about mathematical formulas, space science, history and much more. You can get the DVD here.
Queen of Katwe (PG)
The Queen of Katwe is about the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a 10-year old girl from Katwe, Uganda, who learns how to play the game of chess. Students learn about mathematical problem solving, the game of chess, history and much more. You can get the DVD here.
October Sky (PG)
October Sky is about the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner’s son who was inspired by the Sputnik 1 to learn about space science and mathematics. Students review mathematics formulas, space science, and much more. You can get the DVD here.
The Man Who Knew Infinity (PG-13)
The Man Who Knew Infinity is about the true story of Srinivasa Ramanujan, a mathematician and Fellow of the Royal Society, who pioneers mathematical theories with the guidance of his professor, G.H. Hardy. Students learn about equations, formulas, proofs, history, and much more. You can get the DVD here.
Moneyball (PG-13)
Moneyball is about the true story of Billy Beane, a MLB manager and former scout, who used mathematics to make predictions about baseball players. Students review percents, fractions, and much more. You can get the DVD here.
3 Tips for Math Movies
- Plan Ahead. Build your math movie library now. Look for math movies that cover grade level concepts and apply real world mathematics. Besides showing kids that math applies to movies, it’s important for students to see how math applies to different situations.
- Get Permission. First, get permission from your administration to show the movie. After receiving permission from administration, then send home a consent form to get permission from parents and guardians of kids. Be sure to tell parents why you’re showing the movie and how it applies to math.
- Math Activity. In addition to planning and getting consent, the day of the math movie it is important to have an engaging activity to go along with the movie. Assign math movie questions, a math movie report, or equally important assignment that kids can complete while watching the math movie.