Visitors are encouraged to sit down and do things:
build
symmetric polyhedra
(another picture)
out of snap-together pieces,
make symmetric patterns with
pattern blocks,
stencils,
rubber stamps,
computer software;
color
symmetric designs,
cut out
snowflakes and strings of paper dolls;
get into a huge
kaleidoscope
(another picture)
and become part of a symmetric pattern.
The activities are for people of all
levels, from 5-year-olds to research mathematicians.
Children often spend over an hour at
the exhibit. The activities seem to be equally appealing to girls and boys.
The entire exhibit fits into a station wagon, and can be put up by two people in an hour. Some of the show's materials were developed and adapted especially for the exhibit, but most can be purchased from companies that supply math education materials. In 1996, all the show's written materials are being translated into Spanish, for the benefit of California's many Spanish speakers.
The California Math Show has traveled to schools, museums, teacher education seminars, and youth groups. Currently plans are being made to take the California Math Show to shopping malls, and to mount a replica of the Show as a permanent exhibit at the future Riverside Youth Museum.
Suzanne Alejandre (past director), Computer teacher, Frisbie Middle School, Rialto, CA.(salejan@empirenet.com)
Susan Hearn, Math teacher, Redlands High School, Redlands, CA.
Dr. Yasha Karant, Associate Professor of Information and Decision Sciences, California State University, San Bernardino. (karant@gallium.csusb.edu)
The 4 plane symmetries. Explanation of the mathematical
meaning of the word "symmetry", and how shapes in the plane can be symmetric.
Reflections. A paper-and-pencil activity about the effect of
repeated reflections. Suitable for ages 10 and up.
Symmetric tessellations. Instructions for making Escher-like
drawings with a computer drawing program.
Symmetric polyhedra.
"Recipe cards" for making all of the most
symmetric polyhedra. Download and print the cards and use with snap-together polygons
for your own math show. Suitable for ages 7 and up. You will need to make your own
polygons out of poster board, or get some Polydrons, 3D Geoshapes, or Googolplex
pieces.
Designs with Circles. Activities for making symmetric designs with circles,
using a compass. You could also use geometry software such as Geometer's Sketchpad
or Cabri.
e-mail:
addingto@geom.umn.edu or
susan@math.csusb.edu
telephone:
(612) 624-5058 (through summer 1996)
(909) 880-5362 (from fall 1996)
fax:
(612) 626-7131 (through summer 1996)
(909) 880-7119 (from fall 1996)
mail:
The Geometry Center
1300 South 2nd St., Suite 500
Minneapolis, MN 55454
(through summer 1996)
Math Department
California State University
San Bernardino, CA 92407
(from fall 1996)
