Shaping up in Math

We are currently studying various aspects of geometry in math. For instance, we spent several days doing quilting exercises to learn about symmetry and pattern. I tied in several books on the underground railroad and the supposed use of quilts to send messages. We also read Grandfather Tang's Story and tried to recreate the animal shapes with tangrams.

Different 2D and 3D shapes have been explored. We've built bridges with the amazing triangle, and have gone on shape hunts to find lots of different shapes. After reading stories like Sir Cumference and the Round Table and The Greedy Triangle, children have used pretzel sticks to make all the shapes found in the books. We now know you need to bite one of the pretzels of an equilateral triangle in order to make an isosceles triangle!