The art of first (math) lesson: caturing attention and building interest

In the context of mathematics education, the first lesson plays a critical role in setting the tone for the entire course. The beginning of a mathematics course often carries the weight of preconceived expectations and negative attitudes about the subject. This paper discusses the pedagogical significance of introducing a first-years university mathematics course in a non-traditional way, by describing examples of activities that have been proposed by the authors in during the first lessons of mathematics courses for first-year students of the Bachelor's degree program in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.