A San Diego middle school math teacher is fully embracing the viral "6-7" phenomenon, making 6-7 callouts part of her lessons and handing out 6-7 stickers as prizes.

The big picture: Teens and tweens are so crazy for 6-7 that it's become disruptive in some classrooms, leading to punishments (like essays with 67 words) or bans on any numbers between 5 and 8. But some teachers are taking a different approach.

Catch up quick: No one knows exactly how 6-7 emerged from the online swamp and into mainstream culture, but it's likely some combination of the song "Doot Doot" (the rapper Skrilla says "6-7" a lot) and TikTok videos about basketball.

• Now Gen Alphaers can't help but call out 6-7 at every opportunity.
• The trend also involves a hand movement that is hard to describe in writing. But any young person in your life would likely be glad to demonstrate it.

Behind the scenes: Andrea Miller, a middle school math teacher at Old Town Academy, moonlights as a social media influencer and said she knew about the meme last spring before her students did.

• She can't believe it lasted through the summer, but, as anyone with a young person in their lives knows, it did.

What they're saying: Miller told Axios that anytime she says 6, 7 or, even worse, 67, "it's a whole ordeal."

• But she's using it to make class more fun.
• "I'll be like, 'How do we get rid of a 6 multiplied by our variable?' Somebody in the class will be like '6-7,'" she said. "I like to just roll with it. We laugh and then we move on. And then they'll be like, 'We divide both sides of the equation by 6.'"

Case in point: Miller makes 67 the answer to math problems. For example:

• 67 to the power of zero is 1.
• 67 is a prime number.

Fun fact: Miller already avoids 69 and 420, other numbers that make middle schoolers laugh.

Friction point: Still, kids need to learn there's a place and time for yelling out random numbers.

• "We have some teachers trying the viral response, 'write a 67-word paragraph on TikTok trends,'" Margaret Cannon, the principal at Language Academy in the College Area, told Axios.

Yes, but: Cannon thinks 6-7 builds community at school.

• Kindergartners through eighth graders can join together in a 6-7 call-and-response and then give a high five.
• "It's safe and fun," Cannon said. "Yes, I do reach my limit of hearing '6-7' by lunch time, but I refuse to roll my eyes because it's special for each kid — because they get to participate in something for them, and that's what's important."

What's next: Miller and Cannon suspect that grown-ups learning about 6-7 means the trend is nearing its end.

Tell an old

San Diego FC fell to the Portland Timbers in a penalty shootout Saturday night, 3-2, after a 2-2 draw in regular time.

Why it matters: Losing Game 2 in this first-round series of the MLS playoffs means SDFC will host Portland in a do-or-die matchup next weekend.

State of play: Forwards Amahl Pellegrino and Chucky Lozano scored to put SDFC up 2-1, but the team gave up a goal in stoppage time, which sent the game to penalty kicks.

• Anders Dreyer and Lozano converted their PKs and goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega made two saves, but SDFC's next three shooters missed.
• Sisniega replaced starter CJ dos Santos, who was carted off the field after getting kicked in the head in the first half.

What's next: Watch SDFC vs. Portland on Sunday at Snapdragon Stadium.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Wave wrapped up the regular season last night with a 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Current, the NWSL's best team this season.

• The Wave (No. 6 seed) will travel to play the Portland Thorns (No. 3 seed) in the NWSL playoffs next weekend.

🗳️ More vote centers have opened across San Diego County as election season ramps up. (City News Service)

🚐 The crackdown on RVs parked overnight means people without homes are getting lots of tickets. (Union-Tribune)

• But a program to give one-time payments to cover emergency expenses is helping some people find homes. (U-T)

🍎 Almost 1,000 families got free produce and other staples at a food bank event while uncertainty around SNAP benefits continues. (NBC7)

• Another emergency food distribution event served nearly 2,200 people outside Snapdragon Stadium. (CBS8)

💸 City staff spent millions on rental equipment without City Council approval, and now council members want answers. (Voice of San Diego)

Our clocks fell back yesterday — but sleep experts say that doesn't mean you'll feel more rested.

Why it matters: The shift from daylight saving to standard time can disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to poorer sleep, even if you gain an hour.

By the numbers: Average awake time in bed increased 2% in the week after last fall's shift to standard time for more than 76,000 Oura members, compared to the week prior.

• And they had a higher resting heart rate, more sedentary time and less sleep overall the week after the time change, per Oura.

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Californians and most of the U.S., want to sunset the biannual clock change.

By the numbers: At least 35 states have considered or are considering resolutions related to DST in 2025 — with about half of those bills connected to permanent standard time — according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Zoom in: California voters approved permanent DST back in 2018 via ballot measure, but state lawmakers haven't yet passed the required legislation.

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