Resources

Art Resources Teaching

Nathan Selikoff on Art, Chaos, and Computation

We recently hosted artist and computer programmer Nathan Selikoff at our school, and he spoke to our students about art, mathematics, and technology.

Nathan Selikoff is an award-wining artist and an organizer of the Bridges Math and Art conference. In his talk, “Art, Chaos, and Computation”, Nathan provided an engaging overview of the history of computation in art while talking about his personal experiences conceiving and creating mathematical art.

The talk left quite an impression on our students, many of whom were not aware that mathematicians and computer scientists could also be artists. Students left the talk interested in experimenting with their own mathematical creations, and they were excited to play with the programs the artist generously provided.

A few student quotes nicely summarize the impact of the talk:

It made me want to learn more about the codes and the mathematical equations that make up the paradoxes of the chaotic art pieces.

This really makes me wonder about the extent of art that can be created. I’m curious to find out what I’ll be able to program.

The talk inspired me to create my own art with math equations.

Thanks to the artist for such a great visit! You can find out more about Nathan Selikoff here. And be sure to check out the Bridges Math and Art conference.

By MrHonner, 11 years11 years ago

NYT Resources Teaching

Science and Religion

My latest effort for the New York Times Learning Network is a text-based lesson designed to get students thinking about the relationship between science and religion.

Using the NYT LN’s text-to-text format, we’ve put a 1930’s NYT editorial by Albert Einstein on “Religion and Science” together with a recent article about efforts between physicists and Tibetan monks to improve understanding between the two groups. Students read the two pieces with some guiding questions, looking for similarities and differences between what Einstein and the Dalai Lama are describing.

The Einstein piece is especially good. Here is a favorite excerpt.

It is therefore, quite natural that the churches have always fought against science, and have persecuted its supporters. But, on the other hand, I assert that the cosmic religious experience is the strongest and the noblest driving force behind scientific research … What a deep faith in the rationality of the structure of the world and what a longing to understand even a glimpse of the reason revealed in the world there must have been in Kepler and Newton to enable them to unravel the mechanism of the heavens in long years of lonely work!

In any event, I’m proud to have brought Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, and the Dalai Lama together in one piece! You can read it here.

By MrHonner, 11 years11 years ago

Resources Teaching

Happy Birthday, NYT Learning!

The New York Times Learning Network just celebrated its 4th birthday!

NYT Learning is a collection of free teaching and learning resources designed around New York Times content. NYT Learning posts lessons, quizzes, questions-of-the-day, and many other resources for use in and out of classrooms.

I have been contributing to the Learning Network for over three years. Since my first Numbers in the News quiz, I have contributed over 50 math quiz questions and a dozen or so mathematics lessons, all tied directly to the stories and the resources of the New York Times. And I’m proud that, once again, one of my pieces made their Top Ten posts of year!

So happy birthday, NYT Learning! Here’s to many more years of teaching and learning with the New York Times.

By MrHonner, 11 years11 years ago

Resources Teaching

Workshop — Professional Development Through Social Media

I recently ran a workshop through Math for America titled “Professional Development Through Social Media”. The goal of the workshop was to share some of the positive professional experiences I’ve had connecting, collaborating, and engaging online, and to provide teachers with an overview of what’s out there and how they can get involved.

I was impressed with how well-attended the session was, and how engaged the participants were in reading and discussing blog posts. exploring teacher websites, perusing Twitter feeds, and discussing the opportunities for professional growth through various online communities. At least in this self-selected group, it certainly seems like the word has gotten out!

Below are links to the documents we used to stimulate exploration and discussion, including some material we were not able to cover due to time constraints. In addition, a starter list of online biology teachers has been provided at the request of one participant. Its production is, itself, a testament to the power of connectedness!

A Few Blog Posts to Read and Discuss

A Few Websites to Explore

A Few Active Tweeters to Browse

A Few Active Google Plussers

Emerging Collaborative Resources

Biology Teachers on Twitter

And all participants were encouraged to check out Exploring the MTBoS, another amazing example of the power of these collaborative and forward-thinking communities!

By MrHonner, 11 years11 years ago

Resources Teaching

Rosenthal Prize Lesson — Sphere Dressing

The Museum of Mathematics has posted my Rosenthal Prize lesson, Sphere Dressing, on their website and made it freely available for download.

In this lesson, students explore the connections between plane and solid geometry by designing and building hats to cover a sphere. This set of activities, which includes options for grades 4 to 12, was part of my application portfolio for the 2012 Rosenthal Prize for Innovation in Teaching Mathematics , and I was honored to be named runner-up. A nice profile of the two winners appears in Scientific American here.

You can download my lesson, Sphere Dressing, here. You can find out more information about the Rosenthal Prize, and find more award-winning lessons for download here.

By MrHonner, 11 years11 years ago

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