Unfolding Mathematics with Unit Origami - Betsy Franco

Unfolding Mathematics With Unit Origami At last-an origami book designed specifically for mathematics classrooms! Origami books are typically written by origami experts and aimed at origami enthusiasts. This art form lends itself wonderfully to teaching mathematicsbut it's been up to you to find ways to do it. Now comes Unfolding Mathematics with Unit Origami, designed especially for algebra and geometry students in high school or middle school. Its elegant illustrations and detailed folding and assembly instructions enable you and your students to create beautiful and intriguing three-dimensional origami models. Its 16 absorbing activitiesall in blackline master formhave been carefully prepared in order of increasing difficulty of both folds and mathematical concepts. Through origami folding sequences, basic mathematical ideas reveal themselves: algebraic and angle relationships and different types of symmetry in two and three dimensions will engage your students'interest in new ways. You can choose activities from anywhere in the book, but if you move from front to back you'll cover an amazingly broad range of mathematical topics. And while the book's purpose is to teach mathematics, it also introduces students to the art of origami and contributions made to that art by noted origami experts, such as Tomoko Fus, Kunihiko Kasahara, David Masunaga, and Robert Neale. Most activities can be done in one class period and offer opportunities for group work, journal writing, and projects. Autobiographical vignettes by origami artists introduce students to origami culture and prompt students to discuss their own experiences with origami. The overview explains how you can best use this book in your classroom, including methods for assessing student work. Every activity gives you teaching ideas and strategies, as well as suggestions for extensions of the activity. There's also a glossary of terms and a list of recommended readings.