hands-on math

22
May
a hyperbolic yarn lovey with yellows greens and blues

Week 35: Yarn-it-up Hyperbolic Space

This week let’s play with yarn! We are going to play with hyperbolic space. You will need some yarn and a crochet hook. You don’t need to know how to crochet, but you will need a little patience and a lot of desire to play. These don’t have to be perfect, and “mistakes” just add […]
1 min read
09
May
a scattering of kirigami on a table of many colors

Week 34: Kirigami

I love paper cutting, so last week I did kirigami with some of my classes. What was so fun about this activity is the amount of play and discovery that happened with two simple supplies (paper and scissors). Below are the videos I recorded for my classes to be able to go back and work […]
1 min read
09
May
a game finished with blue marks and the red strike diagonally showing X won

Week 33: Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe

Games don’t have to be complicated to require some good thinking skills. We all learn tic-tac-toe when we are younger. We soon learn how to always come to a stalemate with an equal opponent. Once you get the strategy, it can get a little boring… But what if we add a layer (or two) of […]
1 min read
20
Apr
a gif of a flipping origami piece

Flipping Origami Class Video

After teaching this a few times this week, I created a video for those that missed it or want to go back. We made two different origami toys that have some flipping fun. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
11
Apr
4 shapes with the same angles (drawn on isometric paper)

Isometric Drawing (Class Video)

After teaching this a few times this week, I created a video so those that may want to pause and draw at their own pace while playing with isometric paper. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I love doodling on Isometric paper – enjoy! Here is a link to the isometric […]
05
Apr
a fantasy map with many buildings, a dragon, mountains and sea-snake narwhal

Fantasy Map Drawing Video Post from This Week’s classes

This is a post for my students on fantasy map drawing from our virtual classes this week. The video was too long for youtube, so hopefully you can all grab it here. This isn’t pro-video content (so forgive my “ums” and roughness). It is intended to allow students to pause and go at their own […]
01
Apr
an impossible shape where the outer edges are a hexagon

Week 32: Isometric Drawing

Let’s get out our pencils, isometric paper, and thinking caps this week! Isometric drawings are often used in engineering and design as a way to display 3D ideas. They can also be used to create optical illusions and escheresque works of art. To start, print some isometric paper, or set your digital
1 min read
24
Mar
paper torn with ink showing a person walking toward the sun

Week 31: Angle Inquiry

Sometimes the simplest things have wonder hidden within. This week, learners can play with the angles of polygons. How many degrees are in a triangle? In a quadrilateral? In a hexagon? Is there a pattern? Here is a warm-up activity: Draw a triangle (any triangle), and cut it out. Next, rip the corne
2 min read
21
Jan
a mountain scene with 4 colors (blues, grey and yellow)

Week 30: Coloring is not Just for Kindergarten

I am trying to tell my 15yr old daughter that an elective high school credit in Graph Theory would be fun next year. Of course I do this as subtly as possible – I start drawing coloring sheets for this post on my iPad and then carefully shade them in. All three of my children […]
2 min read
15
Jan
a rough sketch of a board game

Week 29: Design a Game

This week learners can brainstorm game ideas and test them out with family and friends. Games can be prototyped with paper, clay, cardboard, maker equipment, and/or craft supplies. When I do this with classes, we often play or analyze games that we love prior to designing our own. This allows learne
2 min read

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Sophia

Mathematics educator and creative coder exploring the beauty of mathematical concepts through interactive visualizations and playful learning.

Mathematics

Education

Creative Coding