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mathematics

updated tue 29 jan 02

 

Ron Collins on mon 28 jan 02


If you want to incorporate mathematics/historical mathematics..fascinating
topics....into your claywork with students, research the five platonic
solids, and each one represents the 4 elements and the universe...they are
not hard to make, if you know how to bevel and make hard slab
boxes.....there are some great sites that give paper patterns. In addition,
the golden mean, the divine proportion......spirals...it is a fascinating
way to work, as a former math teacher, I think there should be more time
given to historical mathematics, and there are some---I'm gushing here--just
great sites. And the names themselves.....the kids will learn a
lot.....just don't let them end up calling them "stars", etc...The star
tetrahedron is the merkaba shape, .you hit on a fascinating combination,
three dimensions makes a lot more sense than flat paper...although that
might be a good way to see what their end product can look like......I've
done these for fun lately, if you want to talk off line....Melinda Collins,
Antigua, Guatemala