Mathspig has gone, like, totally Cubist this month. You too can turn any portrait of yourself into a Cubist Master piece (See Mathspig portrait above), here.
Mathspigs maths friends, Lyn and Erwin, who I met at the 13e Salon Culture & Jeux Mathematique, Paris, have sent me a reminder about their amazing Cryptocube construction kit (Mathspig is twirling one above) . This is not for the faint hearted. It’s a Big Maths challenge, but well worth the investment especially for schools. You can learn more about the Zometool Cryptocube construction kit here.
Meanwhile, here are links to 10 Amazing Ways to See a Cube:
The Tube Cube is made from straws and hat elastic (Steps 1 – 9 below). The effect is quite amazing. The TUBE CUBE can then be used to make a CUBIC BUBBLE here.
Don’t show your Middle School students these instructions. Just give them access to some straws, hat elastic, rulers and scissors and ask them to make and then photograph their cube. That’s the challenge Mathspiggies. But the end result (See Step 9) is awesome.
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Step 8: The TUBE CUBE can be flatened into a hexagon.
Step 9: The TUBE CUBE can be turned into an art work. This pic was taken in daylight. The cube was positioned at an angle on a black sheet of paper with one corner set in Blu Tack. WOW!
You can find a number of ways to fold an origami cube on the web. Jeremey Shafer will show you how to fold a seamless cube (below) here.
It’s a bit tricky. Wikihow has very clear instructions on how to fold a simple paper cube here.
But, Mathspig prefers the paper cube designed by Phillip Stromberg of the Netherlands.His cube calendar (below) comes inside one of these paper cubes. This was a very spooky calendar as Mathspig could see her life disappearing in front of her eyes for one whole year. ARrrrgh!
Here is the way to fold a Phillip Stromberg cube:
Step 1: Draw up a grid on cardboard 7 x 6 square.
Mathspig used 8 cm squares on paper. Cardboard would make a stronger cube.
Step 2: Count of squares and draw this pattern.
Step 3: Cut out the cube template.
Step 4: Use scissors to score all folding edges.
Step 5: Score the perpendicular bisectors of the isoceles triangles. Ha Ha! I’ve always wanted to say that!!!!
Step 6: Fold the cube sides up, tucking the extended flaps over the triangles.
Step 6: Fold down the cube lid!!!
OK! It may take some practice. But mathspig likes her cube.
This is quite a challenge. The idea is to draw an anamorphic cube so that the image, once projected onto a curved surface looks like a cube. You will find the template or graph for this exercise on Mathspig here.
It took me several goes to get it … sort of … right.
Step 1: Make silver foil/cardboard cylinder to fit the dotted circle on the grid below.
Step 2: Draw in the corners of the cube on the square grid and match these corners on the curved grid.
Step 3: Draw in the three vertical sides of the cube and match these lines on the curved grid.
Step 4: Draw in the top and bottom horizontal sides of the cube on the square grid and match these on the curved grid.
Getting tricky now.
Step 5: Draw in the blue, orange and green sides of the cube on the square grid and match these on the curved grid.
Now mathspiggies you may not want to do this in the maths classroom, but you could set this exercise as a homework project. Make it a general challenge.
eg. Homework Challenge: Make a cube out of edible products and photograph results.
It would be possible to construct drawings like the following in the school grounds using chalk and/or string. The students have to work out how to construct these drawings themselves. Then you can take some AWESOME photos.
Guess what kids? Today we’re going to make something with spaghetti and marshmallows!!!!!
That should have them throwing up into their pencil cases. They think of their stomaches first. But you will have their attention. Of course, you are going to make a cube. Look at the pictures below and you’ll work out how to do it.
Hellooooooooo My Sweet Little Picassos,
Mathspig Blog 
