• Articles
Menu
  • Articles
  • Cards
Menu
  • Cards
  • Podcast
Menu
  • Podcast
  • Videos
Menu
  • Videos
  • Journal
Menu
  • Journal
  • Content
    • About Us
    • Staff
    • FAQ
    • Submissions
    • Contact Us
  • Site
    • Print Issues
    • Articles
    • Project Cards
    • Podcast
    • Videos
    • All
Menu
  • Content
    • About Us
    • Staff
    • FAQ
    • Submissions
    • Contact Us
  • Site
    • Print Issues
    • Articles
    • Project Cards
    • Podcast
    • Videos
    • All
Search
Close
  • Home
  • About
  • Journal
  • Podcast
  • Articles
  • Project Cards
  • Videos
  • FAQ
  • Submissions
  • Contact
Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Journal
  • Podcast
  • Articles
  • Project Cards
  • Videos
  • FAQ
  • Submissions
  • Contact
unboxed_square blue
Search
Close
View Card
Download Card

Mathigami

  • Issue 19

|

Download

PROJECT CARD

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on email
  • December 13, 2020

By

Kristin Komatsubara

By

Kristin Komatsubara

Mathigami is a program designed at the University of San Diego by Perla Myers and Celina Gonzalez, in collaboration with students and teachers, that reimagines mathematics as a joyful exploration.

Mathigami is the exploration of mathematical concepts through the art of paper folding. In this year-long project, students explored two essential questions: “What does it mean to do mathematics?” and “How does origami inspire creativity, discovery, and deeper understanding of mathematical ideas?” Students explored fractions, surface area, and scale—building Sonobe cubes. They applied properties of angle relationships to find missing angles within their triangle-edge module folds. Using the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) protocol, students posed and explored their own mathematical questions for the origami Golden Venture models they created. A visit to the University of San Diego allowed students to partner with university undergraduates to explore new folds such as a hyperbolic paraboloid and a giant firework. Through the project, students recognized the importance of making mistakes, of persevering, of exploring deeply and of being precise in their calculations, folds, and communication of mathematical ideas.

Teacher Reflection

As math teachers, we should also be math students and have first-hand experiences with productive struggle, posing questions, and collaborative learning. Mathigami has ignited my love for origami but more importantly, helped me to redefine the math skills and experiences we value. Students now see math as a creative discipline where their math ideas and questions drive the learning.

—Kristin Komatsubara

Student Reflection

Mathigami seemed so far from what I considered to be math. I approached it as more of an art project and so did many of my peers. However, we came to learn that it was far more than just about aesthetics but rather about the mathematics behind our art. Looking at how far along some other groups were compared to us didn’t bring us down but rather challenged us to try harder and work more efficiently to achieve the most precise project we possibly could.

—Hisami Oliva

Tags:  

  • arts, build, Collaboration, math

More Cards

Healthy Choices: Food For Thought

Picasso’s Influence on HTH: Analytical Cubism

Project IDEATE

Bilingual Spoken Word

Subscribe to the Unboxed newsletter

SUBSCRIBE
hthgse-footer1
  • Home
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Submissions
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Submissions
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Articles
  • Print Issues
  • Podcast
  • Video
  • Project Cards
Menu
  • Articles
  • Print Issues
  • Podcast
  • Video
  • Project Cards
  • HTH GSE
  • PBL Essentials
  • PBL Design Kit
Menu
  • HTH GSE
  • PBL Essentials
  • PBL Design Kit

SUBSCRIBE

© HIGH TECH HIGH GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION 2008 - 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Signup to receive news, announcements, educational resources, and more!