Doodling in Math Class

This is a brilliant video introduction to the fine mathematical art of doodling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heKK95DAKms

This video–one of several from vi hart–is an engaging, witty, and serious look at the mathematics one can explore just by doodling and playing around with a few basic ideas.  Sophisticated concepts in graph theory and knot theory spring up from some very simple, and very beautiful, sketches.

The creator of the videos is a bit hard on math teachers in her narration; apparently she’s had some bad ones.  The snarkiness definintely adds character to the videos, but it’s a bit excessive at times.

I’m sure it isn’t easy making innovative, mind-opening videos like this, but it isn’t easy teaching a class full of doodling students, either!