It’s Autumn in UK & FALL in the USA so it’s the perfect time for a little bit of outdoor math for Grade 3-5 with AUTUMN leaves. Of course, you don’t need FALL LEAVES for this exercise, but it is colorful.
This fab idea comes from Juliet Robertson, an outdoor education consultant in Scotland. Her blog Creative star learning is one of the most inspiring outdoor maths blogs you will find.
Check out Mathpig’s protractor joke here.
Another fab idea from Juliet Robertson.
This idea comes from Burkard and Giuseppe @ the fabulous MATHOLOGER channel. Students can make a pattern called a cardioid that pops up all over math according to Burkard.
Follow these steps. There is a pdf file below the first diagram for printing exercise sheets.
And then watch the MATHOLOGER video for a really interesting explanation.
x2 Tables on a Circle pdf file for printing
This circle graph blank could also be used for x3 and x4 tables, which produce totally different yet equally amazing patterns.
Halfway there, now it gets tricky. +52 to each point on the circle and keep multiplying by 2.
ie. 27 x 2 = 54, 28 x 2 = 56 and so on.
so 0 = 52, 1 = 53, 2 = 54, 3 = 55, 4 = 56 etc
This shape is called a CARTIOID.
Australia is reviewing its Maths Curriculum.
Sides are taken. Arguments are rife. See the excellent article by Donna Lu, Cracking the formula: how should Australia be teaching maths under the national curriculum?, The Guardian,13 FEB, 2022)
Should teachers teach? Or students explore problems? (Called Cognitive Activation in academe!)
Why not, both? Then add outdoor maths (below) plus defronting the classroom sometimes and try some maths selfies for homework. More ideas here.
It doesn’t matter what’s written in the curriculum, the biggest problem in maths for students is
Here, to tackle boredom are:
“A growing body of research shows us that outdoor play leads to better physical and mental health, has positive effects on cognitive function and learning, and reduces the incidence of behavioural problems.” Maria Zotti, Nature Play, SA.
Peter Dunstan, Principal Kilkenny PS, SA, writes in SAPPA magazine, Primary Focus, that outdoor play fosters “wonderment, independence and freedom” as well as “social skills, imagination, creativity and problem solving”.
Inspired by SAPPA and NaturePlay, Mathspig has produced her own outdoorsy maths list:
References:
7. Robin Hood Give us your best shot.
9. You can measure the volume of your lungs by blowing one breath into a balloon and pushing it into a full bucket of water. Measure the overflow.
15: Outdoor Maths: Times Tables
21. Light intensity links. Here and here.
36. Killer heels that really kill.
It’s Autumn in UK & FALL in the USA so it’s the perfect time for a little bit of outdoor math for Grade 3-5 with AUTUMN leaves. Of course, you don’t need FALL LEAVES for this exercise, but it is colorful.
This fab idea comes from Juliet Robertson, an outdoor education consultant in Scotland. Her blog Creative star learning is one of the most inspiring outdoor maths blogs you will find.
Check out Mathpig’s protractor joke here.
Another fab idea from Juliet Robertson.
This idea comes from Burkard and Giuseppe @ the fabulous MATHOLOGER channel. Students can make a pattern called a cardioid that pops up all over math according to Burkard.
Follow these steps. There is a pdf file below the first diagram for printing exercise sheets.
And then watch the MATHOLOGER video for a really interesting explanation.
x2 Tables on a Circle pdf file for printing
This circle graph blank could also be used for x3 and x4 tables, which produce totally different yet equally amazing patterns.
Halfway there, now it gets tricky. +52 to each point on the circle and keep multiplying by 2.
ie. 27 x 2 = 54, 28 x 2 = 56 and so on.
so 0 = 52, 1 = 53, 2 = 54, 3 = 55, 4 = 56 etc
This shape is called a CARTIOID.
“A growing body of research shows us that outdoor play leads to better physical and mental health, has positive effects on cognitive function and learning, and reduces the incidence of behavioural problems.” Maria Zotti, Nature Play, SA.
Peter Dunstan, Principal Kilkenny PS, SA, writes in SAPPA magazine, Primary Focus, that outdoor play fosters “wonderment, independence and freedom” as well as “social skills, imagination, creativity and problem solving”.
Inspired by SAPPA and NaturePlay, Mathspig has produced her own outdoorsy maths list:
References:
7. Robin Hood Give us your best shot.
9. You can measure the volume of your lungs by blowing one breath into a balloon and pushing it into a full bucket of water. Measure the overflow.
15: Outdoor Maths: Times Tables
21. Light intensity links. Here and here.
36. Killer heels that really kill.
They take their maths seriously in Germany. They have monuments to mathematicians. They name streets after mathematicians. They take maths into shopping malls.
They think maths is so important they even put maths on stairs. Here is some times tables art from Germany.
Mathpig just learnt this from a young Mathematician age 9.
It is a great way to do maths because you are thinking ‘Mmmm! How can I work these numbers.’
Getting maths students to think about what they are doing is so much better than just having them guess ‘ Arrrr! Whatever. Click B.’
More jump strategy information here.
This will be very useful later when it comes to a similar method used to simplify long division:
Even small children can think maths is hard work.
But it can be just as much fun as any other subject
if we use our imagination.
Maths does not have to be the UGLY DUCKLING
of school work.
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Comic & cutting comment plus random raves.
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