This 2-day lesson plan explores the hidden South Asian origins of modern mathematics, tracing the invention of zero and the decimal system from the Indus Valley Civilization to the global stage. Students will investigate the historical erasure of Indian scholars like Brahmagupta and Aryabhata and analyze the transmission of “Hindu-Arabic” numerals across the Silk Road. Through the application of ancient Vedic “Sutras” to solve 8th-grade algebraic equations, students will critique Eurocentric mathematical narratives and produce restorative textbook entries that honor intellectual agency.
For Grade 8
