Week 5 Activity

Week 5: Developing mathematics pedagogies that integrate embodied, multisensory, outdoors and arts-based modalities

Sarah Chase: I really enjoyed watching Sarah Chase, what she is doing is extremely impressive. I have tried the 3 - 2 pairing before, and it has taken be FOREVER to master. I am extremely blown away at how she does a 13-11-7 sequence and can remember it. I feel that when I was learning this, I memorized the 6 different movements that come in a 3 - 2 pairing. 6 movements is not a lot to memorize, but 1001 is a TON. Although I am not focusing on Sarah Chase's work for this blog post, I felt the need to highlight how fascinating her work and skills are.
https://vimeo.com/251883173

I have found throughout this course that I am really enjoying the relationship between visual arts and math, which is why I was pulled towards focusing on Ali and Colin's activity this week. 
https://vimeo.com/217231056

I asked so many questions as I was watching this. I am still not 100% certain that I understand the logistics or quite how to create a piece like this yet, but I was able to think of a few extension that could be interesting. 

    - What if we worked with subtractions that resulted in negative numbers, we could use inverted colors to demonstrate negatives. This could results in the addition of more colors, that are related and continue to represent different things. 

    - What if we attempted to do this with multiplication, would we mix colors, or would we add rings in the "product" square? Perhaps we use this to represent exponents, say we use a base of 2, and then represent 2 to the power or 0, then 1, then 2, then 3, and so on. 

    - Could fractions be integrated into a visual arts project like this? How....? (looking for answers!)

I really like the idea of showing negatives. Perhaps a grid containing 33 squares (3x11) representing -16 to 16 could be really interesting to see, with 0 being in the very center. The inversion of colors shows a connection between the numbers. This would have to be taught to students beforehand. The question that lies now is how many rings are needed...? It took some trial and error and after getting through half, I realized I was missing a ring, so I started again. Here is what I created. 

I really love the color scheme and how the inverted colors look. This was extremely confusing to me at first and I had to go find the art on the Bridges Website and read the authors blurb to better understand the art. (https://gallery.bridgesmathart.org/exhibitions/2016-bridges-conference/chamberland) Once I understood and began the creation process, it was extremely easy to follow the pattern of numbers and colors throughout the piece. After creating this, I realize that the inverted colors work well, and I feel with the "zero" tile in the middle, it is much clearer now what is being represented. 

As seen in Ali and Colin's video, I was interested by the adding that he showed. I think this could be really fun to do with my art, including positives and negatives. Perhaps with a variation of adding and subtracting, as well as multiplying (as long as the answer is under 16 - or perhaps would you have 2 squares in your answer after?) 

-1 x -1 = +1

-15 x 3 = -45

I don't know if that is how we would want to show it, but I feel that this method emphasizes the two negatives make a positive and that as soon as there is only 1 negative, that the answer will also be negative. 

Although I did not answer everything in an organized brainstorm sketch, I do believe that I have replied to all aspects to this weeks activity in my messy thoughts written here, and through my art. 

Thanks for reading, and please! Extend on these ideas with me, as perhaps I could try this with my students!