Zart Extra Article Term 2 2010
Linking Maths & Art
Susan Clarke
Maths & Art Teacher
Strathcona Girls' School
Maths/Art
There are many obvious links between Maths and Art such as measurement, three dimensional drawing, one point perspective etc. As I was given an allotment taking Year Five Maths and Art, I developed a programme that formally connected these subjects. Using enquiry based learning, tasks were undertaken in a spirit of experimentation and discovery rather than product orientated. My aim was to teach mathematic concepts that were meaningful, enjoyable and demonstrated the concrete application of certain skills and how they could be utilised creatively.
Optical Illusions
The definition of an optical illusion is an image that deceives the eye. The students explored this with a number of activities. Half the group drew particular designs; the other half described what they observed. They checked the accuracy of their observations with measurement. We studied many examples in Artful Maths with students selecting some to draw and trial on their parents. From this they developed the concept of illusion and the importance of accuracy in their measurement skills.
Tessellations
Students were instructed to draw eight adjoining squares. Within each square they drew another square and then added diagonal lines, corner to corner. Students selected their colours and observed that this determined whether the image receded, you looked down on it and whether it was two or three dimensional.
The next task was to examine the tessellated image in Targeting Maths Dictionary. We brainstormed different ways it could be constructed and the shapes it could be broken up into. Students discovered the importance of accurate measurement, attention to detail - such as right angles and selection of colours as they knew how much it would determine the visual effect of their completed image. `
The final session was instructional where they had no idea what the completed image would be.
Verbally they were instructed to:
1. Construct a 36 cm square
2. Mark half way along each line and connect four diagonal lines
3. Mark 1 cm divisions along all lines of the diamond
4. Connect these marks to outer corners of the square
5. Mark the centre of diamond and connect cm.
Throughout the activity, students were discussing what they were seeing, how the image was changing and predicting what they thought they would see. Choice and use of colour was debated and students were thrilled with the outcome of their work.
The final activity was the construction of a patchwork cushion. The three skills that were essential were drawing the design accurately on to Vilene, cutting squares and rectangles 1 cm larger and learn to independently use the sewing machines. This was all very challenging but also very rewarding. I had an assistant and three sewing machines for twenty girls. Students who were waiting for a machine or assistance worked concurrently on a complex folded star which they independently, or as a group, brainstormed the method of construction.
Art
Year Five Art at this time involved a study of Escher and his experimentation with regular division of the plane. They studied his fascination of images morphing into different images, for example, birds morphing into fish. They then developed their own division of the plane with a tessellated image.
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