Geometry in Gardens and Parks
Gardens, lemonade, space shuttle and others have a common denominator
105
Geometry in gardens and parks
Gabriela Pavlovičová, Lucia Rumanová and Valéria Švecová
1 Introduction
Development of children’s perception of geometric content is related with environment where early age children are brought up and gain everlasting and informal knowledge. It is important to combine the knowledge with real life situations. This can be done by solving applied mathematical problems developing pupil’s independence, activity and creativity from lowest grades of elementary school. By solving applied mathematical problems pupils should be able to verbalize problems, find missing information to solve problems, make relations and be able to formulate and interpret results. When developing tasks, we focused on increasing pupils’ motivation to problem solving. We were inspired by beautiful gardens and parks as a rich source of geometrical objects. Solving the tasks, pupils also develop spatial imagination and apply already acquired knowledge on geometry. For task development pictures and photographs of modern and historical gardens and parks are inevitable. The tasks are divided according to used context: x x x x geometrical shapes in parks and gardens, symmetry in parks and gardens, mazes in parks and gardens, measure in parks and gardens.
Introduction of each thematic unit includes tasks with identical solution, but different assignment: standard assignment and assignment motivated by geometry in gardens and parks. Individual thematic units may overlap and existing images may be used in different tasks. All tasks represent open problems with more than one solution, and may be continuously modified with current didactic situations. We can motivate pupils by giving problem and this motivation is challenge for creativity.
2 Geometrical Shapes in Parks and Gardens
Tasks in this thematic unit are aimed to determine, sort and identify basic characteristics of geometric
105
Geometry in gardens and parks
Gabriela Pavlovičová, Lucia Rumanová and Valéria Švecová
1 Introduction
Development of children’s perception of geometric content is related with environment where early age children are brought up and gain everlasting and informal knowledge. It is important to combine the knowledge with real life situations. This can be done by solving applied mathematical problems developing pupil’s independence, activity and creativity from lowest grades of elementary school. By solving applied mathematical problems pupils should be able to verbalize problems, find missing information to solve problems, make relations and be able to formulate and interpret results. When developing tasks, we focused on increasing pupils’ motivation to problem solving. We were inspired by beautiful gardens and parks as a rich source of geometrical objects. Solving the tasks, pupils also develop spatial imagination and apply already acquired knowledge on geometry. For task development pictures and photographs of modern and historical gardens and parks are inevitable. The tasks are divided according to used context: x x x x geometrical shapes in parks and gardens, symmetry in parks and gardens, mazes in parks and gardens, measure in parks and gardens.
Introduction of each thematic unit includes tasks with identical solution, but different assignment: standard assignment and assignment motivated by geometry in gardens and parks. Individual thematic units may overlap and existing images may be used in different tasks. All tasks represent open problems with more than one solution, and may be continuously modified with current didactic situations. We can motivate pupils by giving problem and this motivation is challenge for creativity.
2 Geometrical Shapes in Parks and Gardens
Tasks in this thematic unit are aimed to determine, sort and identify basic characteristics of geometric
References: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Hanulla, M. S. Motivation in Mathematics: goal reflected in emotions, Educational Studies in Mathematics, 2006, 165-178 Fulier, J., Šedivý, O. Motivácia a tvorivosť vo vyučovaní matematiky, FPV UKF, Nitra, 2001 Pavlovičová, G., Rumanová, L. Trh s geometrickými nepodarkami, Didaktické hry a aplikačné úlohy vo výučbe matematiky na 2. stupni ZŠ, FPV UKF, Nitra, 2008, 21-24 Pavlovičová, G., Vasková, V. Motivujme žiakov k riešeniu slovných úloh, Učme aplikovať matematiku, FPV UKF, Nitra, 2008, 67-72 Šedivý, O., Melušová, J., Pavlovičová, G., Rumanová, L., Švecová, V., Vallo, D., Vidermanová, K. Zbierka zaujímavých, zábavných a aplikačných úloh z matematiky, FPV UKF, Nitra, 2008