Teaching Mathematics Through Cross-Curricular Projects, edited by Elizabeth A. Donovan, Lucas A. Hoots, and Lesley W. Wiglesworth, is a collection of mathematics projects and activities designed to support instructors in making connections between traditionally “pure” mathematics and a broad range of other disciplines and contexts. The book consists of 26 independent modules, each written by contributing authors who have developed and tested a cross-curricular activity in their own course context. The activities included in the text range widely, connecting mathematics to areas such as cultural studies, arts, civic engagement, STEM, sports, and games.

The book begins with a brief preface describing the value of connecting traditionally “pure” mathematics to real-world contexts, followed by a short section on how to use the book. This opening material introduces the general structure of the chapters, as well as a helpful table that organizes the chapters according to both mathematical course and focal area. Mathematical course areas include topics such as discrete mathematics, abstract algebra, linear algebra, analysis, topology, and calculus, while focal areas include cultural studies, the arts, civic engagement, STEM, and sports and games. This table is particularly useful given the breadth of material included in the volume, as it helps readers more quickly identify activities that may be relevant to their own courses or interests.

The chapters themselves follow a consistent structure. The majority include an Introduction, Prerequisites & Project Preparation, Course Project/Activity, Extensions & Alterations, and Reflections & Advice. Several chapters also include additional references, supplemental materials, rubrics, or other resources available online. This chapter-level consistency is one of the strengths of the text. Given the wide range of mathematical content and cross-curricular contexts represented, the predictable structure helps make the book feel cohesive and makes it easier to move between chapters fluidly. It allows the reader to know what to expect when moving from one chapter to another.

The projects included in the book vary substantially in mathematical topic, context, and scope. Some chapters are quite narrowly tailored to a particular course or mathematical topic, while others provide ideas that may be adapted across several courses. For example, “Making Mathematics Relevant: Math in the News” offers a more general structure that could be useful in many different mathematical settings, depending on the instructor’s goals and course content, while also providing examples to help envision what this may look like in specific courses. Other chapters offer examples that may be new or surprising to many readers, such as “Topological Dance Activities,” which connects topology and dance in a way that is likely outside the experience of many mathematics instructors. Still others, such as “Double Integrals and the Human Condition” and “Order in the Court! Spectral Theory for an Introductory Linear Algebra Course,” provide examples of how mathematical content may be connected to social and civic issues.

Several aspects of this text merit further discussion. The first is the impressive breadth of the volume. Each mathematical course included in the opening table is connected to several chapters, with all having between four and eleven relevant activities. This makes the text useful as a broad reference for instructors who teach multiple courses, or who are interested in thinking expansively about how cross-curricular work may be incorporated into undergraduate mathematics. The variety of examples also helps illustrate that cross-curricular mathematics need not be limited to applied mathematics or modeling courses. Instead, the text provides examples across many areas of pure mathematics, including some in which real-world or interdisciplinary connections may not always feel immediately obvious.

A second strength of the text is the level of detail provided in many of the chapters. Most chapters include specific project descriptions, implementation notes, reflections from instructors, and ideas for extensions or alterations. Some also include examples of student work, rubrics, or additional resources. These materials help the reader understand not only the general idea of an activity, but also how it has been used in an actual course. This is especially important for cross-curricular projects, where instructors first need to understand both the mathematical content and the outside context well enough to support students meaningfully.

At the same time, this is not a book of activities that can generally be picked up and inserted into a course with little preparation. Many of the projects require significant thought and planning on the part of the instructor. Instructors may need to read more deeply about the context, identify possible collaborators, adapt the activity to their own course goals, or make decisions about how much class time can be devoted to the project. This is particularly true for projects that span multiple class periods. The depth and thoughtfulness of many of the activities is a strength, but it also means the book is better understood as a long-term resource than as a quick source of ready-to-use activities.

One limitation of the book is the relatively minimal framing provided by the editors. The preface and “how to use this book” section are quite brief, and the book does not include a more substantive introduction, conclusion, or general guidance for instructors interested in cross-curricular teaching. Given the breadth of the chapters, more editorial framing may have helped readers think through broader questions, such as how to choose among projects, how to adapt projects to different institutional contexts, or how to build collaborations across departments. While the chapter-level structure is strong, the book-level framing is somewhat limited.

This book may be recommended for more established mathematics faculty who teach a variety of undergraduate courses, or for departments interested in developing and sharing cross-curricular projects across several instructors. It may be especially useful for readers who want to browse broadly, think creatively about possible course projects, or find inspiration for connecting pure mathematics to areas outside of mathematics. However, the breadth of the text may be less useful for an instructor who regularly teaches only one or two specific courses, as only a small portion of the book may be directly relevant to their teaching. Overall, the book offers a valuable and varied collection of cross-curricular mathematics projects, though readers will likely benefit most from approaching it as a source of ideas and inspiration that will require thoughtful adaptation to their own classrooms.

Dr. Cristina Runnalls is a Professor of Mathematics & Statistics at Cal Poly Pomona, with a focus on Mathematics Education. Her research focuses primarily on mathematics for culturally and linguistically diverse learners, intertwined with teacher education for both pre-service and in-service teachers.