Notes

Notes about interesting resources, thoughts and ideas about math-activity.

Mon Feb 24, 2025

Make a hyperbolic football

Planning to explore platonic solids in the next class.

Sun Feb 09, 2025

Origami Pythagorean spiral https://www.happyfolding.com/gallery-pythagorean_spiral

Wed Feb 05, 2025

Today's class went well.

D & E are having trouble focusing on the class and paying attention to folding paper. Everyone else seems to be doing well.

None of them have the first worksheet with them. This time, I kept the solved worksheets with me.

They have figured out that the triangle is a 90-60-30 triangle, but they weren't able to prove it. I told them that we'll get back to it later. I need to take it up in the next class.

Tue Jan 28, 2025

Proving Pythagoras theorem using Origami.

Origami Proof of Pythagoras theorem by Vi Hart (YouTube)

Origami Instructions to use origami to prove the Pythagorean Theorem (PDF).

We could use this to prove $(a+b{)}^2=a^2+b^2+2ab$ and Pythagoras theorem $a^2+b^2=c^2$.

It would be interesting to challenge them to fold $\sqrt{3}$, $\sqrt{5}$ etc.

Sun Jan 26, 2025

Came across a paper discussing about impact of origami instruction on spacial visualization skills of students.

Origami Instruction in the Middle School Mathematics Classroom: Its Impact on Spatial Visualization and Geometry Knowledge of Students, RMLE Online, Vol. 32, No. 7

I learnt about the topic of Spacial Visualization Skills and measuring them. Looks like there is a quite a bit of research on this topic in connection with learning math. Something to worth exploring.

Also found a doctoral thesis of Norma. J. Boakes on the topic

Other resources:

• Spacial Reasoning Instrument - a questionnaire to survey spatial reasoning ability (PDF)

Sat Jan 25, 2025

Had a call with Zeus.

I have told about my concern that the students are not making any notes. He suggested that giving worksheets with questions to answer may be a good way to address that.