I am a known fan of triangles and hexagons. I have also been having quite a bit of fun with laser cutters at a local maker space.
A while back I wondered what it would be like to decompose a triangle and play with its parts. So I cut up a triangle and got busy.
My play started simply.
Things quickly got more complicated, with symmetry, patterns, and tilings.
I saw happening in myself what I kept telling people I saw in children at Math On-A-Stick last summer. The longer I persisted, the richer the ideas I had. These are in a bowl on the dining room table (along with my favorite pentagon and some materials for Tabitha’s decimal study), available for play whenever we like.
You may not have a laser cutter, but you certainly have access to a compass, cardstock, and scissors. I recommend getting down to business so you can play with my favorite quadrilateral.
Thank you for the inspiration to start cutting. Jenny
You a awesome! Gonna gets on it , since Maker,The Maker, is like 1 mile from my house in Sebabstopol, CA
It looks greats!
I’m searching some new teaching methods for my fourth graders to create a more interactive and explorative space and I’m enthusiastic after reading your post because a good friend of mine has a laser cutter and I have access to it.
But how do you use the triangles and hexagons in school lessons? At the beginning of a new topic as inspiration for the children or after introducing them to a new topic as deepening and repetition?
And how much instruction do you give to the class?
I’m looking forward to your answer ! Thank you!