100% found this document useful (1 vote)
164 views23 pages

Engaging Students with Math Art Challenges

The document describes the #MathArtChallenge, which consists of 101 math art activities posted online. It began as a way for the author's students to engage with math during school shutdowns due to COVID-19. Each challenge provides artistic ways for students to explore mathematical concepts. The challenges cover a wide range of math topics and can be done with common materials. Teachers are encouraged to use the challenges by introducing an activity, giving students time to create art, and having students complete a reflection.

Uploaded by

Daniela Menga
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
100% found this document useful (1 vote)
164 views23 pages

Engaging Students with Math Art Challenges

The document describes the #MathArtChallenge, which consists of 101 math art activities posted online. It began as a way for the author's students to engage with math during school shutdowns due to COVID-19. Each challenge provides artistic ways for students to explore mathematical concepts. The challenges cover a wide range of math topics and can be done with common materials. Teachers are encouraged to use the challenges by introducing an activity, giving students time to create art, and having students complete a reflection.

Uploaded by

Daniela Menga
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • What is the #MathArtChallenge?
  • History of the #MathArtChallenge
  • How to Navigate the Blog Posts
  • Anatomy of Each Blog Post
  • How to Use the #MathArtChallenge in Class
  • Math Content Covered by the #MathArtChallenge
  • Connecting the #MathArtChallenge to the 8 Mathematical Practices
  • Anticipating Student Responses
  • Samples of Student Work
  • More Student Work
  • Acknowledgements
  • Reflections
  • Table: Math Content Explorable through Individual #MathArtChallenges

The #MathArtChallenge

By Annie Perkins

Finalist- Rosenthal Prize 2020

1
Table of Contents
WHAT IS THE #MATHARTCHALLENGE? ......................................................................................................................... 3

HISTORY OF THE #MATHARTCHALLENGE ...................................................................................................................... 4

HOW TO NAVIGATE THE BLOG POSTS ........................................................................................................................... 5

ANATOMY OF EACH BLOG POST ................................................................................................................................... 6

HOW TO USE THE #MATHARTCHALLENGE IN CLASS ...................................................................................................... 7

MATH CONTENT COVERED BY THE #MATHARTCHALLENGE ........................................................................................ 11

CONNECTING THE #MATHARTCHALLENGE TO THE 8 MATHEMATICAL PRACTICES ....................................................... 13

ANTICIPATING STUDENT RESPONSES .......................................................................................................................... 14

SAMPLES OF STUDENT WORK ..................................................................................................................................... 15

MORE STUDENT WORK ......................................................................................................................................................... 16

TEACHERS SHARING THE #MATHARTCHALLENGE WORK OF THEIR STUDENTS ................................................................................. 17

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 18

#MATHARTCHALLENGE REFLECTIONS ......................................................................................................................... 19

TABLE: MATH CONTENT EXPLORABLE THROUGH INDIVIDUAL #MATHARTCHALLENGES ............................................. 20

2
What is the #MathArtChallenge?

The #MathArtChallenge is a compilation of 101 different math art activities (or “challenges”) that you
can use to engage your students. All of the challenges are posted with instructions or instructional videos at:
[Link]/home. They are organized by number; in the order they were released throughout the spring
and summer of 2020. They are also organized by mathematical content. A list of mathematical topics is
provided on the right side of the webpage, which allows you to search the challenges by type of math that you
would like to explore. The content tags are words or phrases like: proportions/ratios, probability, or functions.
A full list of content tags is viewable in the first row of the table at the end of this document.
The majority (more than 60) of these tasks can be done with common materials like pencil, paper,
cardboard, scissors, and a straight edge. Some activities require other common materials like yarn, wooden
skewers, and tinfoil. Fewer than 10 activities require uncommon materials like twisting balloons, zippers, or the
ability to crochet. For many of the challenges, it is possible to use a variety of different materials. Each
activity’s post includes a material list.
The activities span a wide range of mathematical topics, from arithmetic to polygons to graph theory and
beyond. There is mathematical content in every activity that is accessible to middle school students, although
some activities could be used to explore content as elementary as kindergarten or as advanced as calculus and
knot theory.
All of the activities will give you an artistic way to engage students in rich mathematical ideas. I have
found my students grow more enthusiastic about math when we do mathematical art. Students who are usually
less engaged become engrossed, and mathematical conversations naturally bubble up while we are creating
together. I hope you enjoy using these activities as much as I do.

3
History of the #MathArtChallenge

The #MathArtChallenge is a direct result of the school shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
When my school building shut down, I sought a way to keep my students engaged in mathematics from their
homes. Not all of my students had access to textbooks, and I wanted to continue engaging them in creative
mathematics from their homes. Thus, the #MathArtChallenge was born.
Starting on March 16, 2020, and continuing through the end of the school year, I posted daily challenges
for my students and others to engage in. Somewhere around mid-summer, from sheer exhaustion, I ceased
posting daily challenges, but I continued curating and creating a challenge every few days until I reached the
admittedly arbitrary (yet satisfying) total of 100*.
I posted these to my student’s Google Classrooms, on Instagram, (under the handle
@MsPerkinsMathArtChallenge), and on Twitter - hence the hashtag. I used social media, believing students
were more likely to engage with the material there than they would be to through a learning management
system, which proved to be largely true. An unforeseen, but joyous, benefit of this choice was the amount with
which the larger math education community participated. Community members began to pose their own math
art challenges, and began to riff on the ones I had posted. We shared ideas and student created work – helping
us and our students through a difficult time.
Now, as the new school year begins, I am getting reports from teachers all over the country who use the
challenges with their students. Emma Veach, a middle school teacher here in Minneapolis, recently reported,
“We do one every Friday and the kids are pumped (‘Today is the day we draw, right?!’) and they get a screen
break. It has been the best part of distance learning so far!”
New times calls for new methods of engaging our students. Happily, while many of these work well in
distance learning, they are equally implementable in traditional in-person classes. I look forward to using them
in my classes for years to come, as well as hearing from my colleagues and friends who use them with their
students.

*
It is actually 101. While preparing this document, I discovered a “lost” challenge. In the chaos of posting every day, I
managed to post challenge 38.5 everywhere but my blog. It’s now sandwiched between 38 and 39 and labeled as “bonus”.
4
How to Navigate the Blog Posts
The instructions for all of these challenges can be found at: [Link]/home. That web address
will bring you to the homepage for the #MathArtChallenge, where you can scroll through a list of all the
challenges, including a thumbnail photo or gif of each challenge. You are encouraged to spend a few minutes
scrolling through these thumbnails to get a sense of the different kinds of math art activities you could bring
into your classes.
There is also a link at the top of that page that connects to a publicly accessible Dropbox folder where
you can find original copies of the pictures, gifs, and time-lapse videos for the challenges.

Figure 1: Screenshot of the #MathArtChallenge homepage

Each of the blog posts are written using the same structure. At the top of the post you will see a picture
or video with an example of that particular challenge. Below that, you’ll see a statement briefly describing “The
Challenge”. Then comes a list of needed materials, and a list of mathematical concepts you could explore with
that particular challenge (more on this in the section Math Content Covered by Each #MathArtChallenge on
page 11). Below those, you will find either written instructions, a video example, or links to instructions
elsewhere for how to complete that particular challenge. Finally, at the bottom of each post I have listed 2-3 of
the 8 Mathematical Practices and how you can use this challenge to engage with them. See Figure 2 on the next
page for a detailed view of an example blog post.

5
Anatomy of Each Blog Post

Figure 2: Anatomy of a #MathArtChallege blog post

6
How to use the #MathArtChallenge in Class
With 101 different activities to choose from, there is no one correct way to use these. I expect some
teachers will select a specific challenge connected to the content they are currently teaching. Others may choose
to use this as a recurring project where students get to work on an activity of their choice. Either way, I
encourage you to use the following structure when using these in class:

1. Introduce students to the activity.


2. Give students time to create their art.
3. Ask students to complete a reflection (a graphic organizer is provided for you).
4. Have a class discussion wherein you connect the math art to math content and the 8
mathematical practices.

1. Introduce students to the activity.


Each activity has examples and instructions on the blog. Often, you have little prep work to do in order
to implement these activities outside of trying it yourself and ensuring the needed materials are available. If you
have selected a specific activity, this step requires nothing more than sharing an example with students and
pointing them in the direction of the instructions available on the blog. If you intend to let students choose, I
would give them 5-10 minutes to scroll through the webpage ([Link]/home) and let them select the
activity they want to complete. Do encourage them to make sure they have adequate materials since a few select
activities require uncommon materials like zippers and twisting balloons.

2. Give students time to create their art.


The length of time needed to complete each activity varies, and it may even vary among your students.
Some activities are quick and can be completed in a few minutes, some require multiple hours. Please plan
accordingly. I do encourage you, if at all possible, to do work on the math art together. Wonderful conversations
happen while completing the projects, and if done in isolation, you lose some of that.

3. Ask students to complete a reflection.


Reflecting on math art often occurs naturally while students are creating. That said, it is important to
build space in your class for students to reflect on their creations. To help you with that, I have created a
#MathArtChallenge Reflection graphic organizer which you may to use with your students. A printable copy is
available on page 19.
On that document, there are 5 questions. Below, I have explained the purpose of each question, and
suggested some “teacher moves” to help you guide your students through that reflection.
7
Which #MathArtChallenge did you complete?
This question is purely for the sake of record keeping. If you have your students keep a portfolio of the
challenges they make, it will be helpful to know which challenge this reflection refers to. Also, if you
have given students the opportunity to choose the challenge, this makes it easier for you to follow their
work.
Briefly describe your finished math art.
Asking this requires the students to consider how they may present their piece to someone else and to
consider mathematical vocabulary. You will find students highlighting parts of their art you may not
have noticed or explaining something they thought about their piece which is not necessarily obvious by
simply observing it.
Teacher moves: If students are unsure how to respond, encourage them to describe details of
their art they find interesting. You may also ask them to “describe it to someone on the phone”.
In doing so, they will notice more about their own art.
Name one thing you enjoyed about this task, and one thing that was challenging.
Asking them to name something they enjoyed gives students an opportunity to reflect on joy in
mathematics. It can help students build a more positive math identity for themselves by naming
something of which they are proud. As to naming a challenging part of the task, I find this is often a
community building question. Especially when students are working on the same challenge, and they
share, “it was really hard to get all of the lines to intersect,” their peers may jump in with affirmation.
Teacher moves: If students say they can’t think of anything they enjoyed (this does occasionally
happen) this is a wonderful opportunity for you to build relationship with them. You can help
them by naming something you like about their piece or even by saying, “I really appreciated
that you took a risk and worked on something new.”
How do you see your artwork connected to math?
It is important that you focus on how the student sees this connected to math. Many students will try to
write what they think a teacher wants to hear here, and while that may be true, the goal is for students to
share how they see the math. Our goal, after all, is not just to get affirmation about our own beliefs, but
rather that our students broaden their perspective on math.
Teacher moves: I strongly encourage you not to answer this question for your students. If they
are stuck, try using these prompts to help them:
• “What math words do you think of when you look at your artwork?”
o They may come up with words like: parallel, ordered, similar, symmetry,
pattern…

8
• “What do you notice about the structure of your artwork?”
o Help them see the structure in their piece. You may ask them to notice
when they were able to make artistic choices about color or size, and when
they needed to make mathematical choices like overlapping pieces or
placement of objects.
• “What numbers or values can you see in your artwork?”
o Are there numeric sequences? Did they tessellate it using some 𝑛-gon?
• If you are doing art connected to your current math content: “What about this is
similar or different than what we did in class this week?”

What mathematical questions arose while you worked? What could you explore next to learn more?
We want students to name and ruminate on the mathematical ideas that come up while working on math
art. It is common, when we slow down and take time to make art, that students will naturally begin to
wonder about their piece, but sometimes those wonderings come and go so quickly that they haven’t
really noticed them. This gives them space and time to name those noticings.
Teacher moves: Encourage students to think about when they had to make mathematical
decisions. For example, if they made an array (challenge #10), how did they decide what the
ratio between length and width would be? Ask them, “If I gave you a week to do this project
again, what different choices would you make?”

4. Have a class discussion wherein you connect the math art to math content and the 8 mathematical practices.
This is where the learning is solidified. Up to this point, students may have enjoyed themselves and be
proud of the work they’ve created, but it’s possible they haven’t really internalized their learning.
If you have selected a specific math art challenge related to the content you are learning in class, I
encourage you to have a class discussion directly connecting the student’s work to the learning you’re doing
elsewhere. You may have students discuss in small groups or do a gallery poster walk where they discuss how
their art connects to math concepts in class. You may have a whole class discussion where students share what
they learned and compare their experiences to their peers.
As I discuss further in the section Connecting the #MathArtChallenge to the 8 Mathematical Practices
(page 13), here I would focus on the questions or ideas posed at the end of each blog post. Ask students about
those math practices and how they connect to what they just did. “How did this activity help us learn to attend
to precision?”, “Where in this did you see repeated reasoning, and how does that connect to the linear slope
activity we did last week?”

9
Each #MathArtChallenge has 2-3 suggested connections to the 8 math practices. I encourage you to
really dig deep on those questions and use them to solidify the learning for your students. Our goal is to expand
the depth of their knowledge about a specific concept and broaden their understanding of math. The posted
math practices at the end of each blog post are only suggestions. I am certain other practices could be connected
to many of the challenges. Use your professional judgment as to which ones you want to stress with your
students.

10
Math content covered by the #MathArtChallenge

Due to the wide amount of content covered by the #MathArtChallenge, there are many possibilities for
how you might use these challenges to access math content in your classrooms. I do not currently have each
challenge tagged with specific Common Core math standards, but I have identified possible types of math
content you could explore with each challenge. Some challenges can be used for a wide variety of purposes
because the math explorable within is so varied.
For example, #70: Spinning Heptagon, wherein participants create an origami
spinner made from 7 papers is tagged with the following content: 3D, angles,
geometry, origami, polygons, symmetry, and vertices/intersections. Teachers looking
to explore angles or polygon properties could easily use this challenge by asking
students to measure or calculate various angles present in the final heptagon. They
could also use it to teach types of symmetry (this is both rotationally and reflectively Figure 3: Spinning Heptagon
symmetric when viewed from above), or send students on a polygon hunt: how many
convex polygons can be found? How many concave polygons? How many different polygons? (I see triangles,
quadrilaterals, and at least one 14-gon.)
The very next challenge, #71: Sona Drawings, is tagged with: 2D, angles, counting, geometry, graph
theory, proportions/ratios, slope, symmetry, and vertices/intersections. In this challenge, participants are asked
to draw a continuous line through a grid of evenly spaced points relying only on 90 degree turns. Given any
complete 𝑛×𝑚 grid, the number of continuous lines will depend on the greatest common factor of 𝑛 and 𝑚.
This is not immediately obvious though,
and is wonderful puzzle for students to
figure out. Students can play with the
ratio between length and width,
recording the number of continuous
loops needed for each combination. This
is also a wonderful way to introduce
language of slope. When does the line
have a positive slope? When negative?
Are the line segments of positive and
negative slope always equal in length?
How do you know? Finally, the Sona
drawings originate with the Chokwe

11
people of southwestern Africa, and this offers an excellent opportunity to bring about discussion of
mathematical history and culture into class.
To help teachers navigate the content in these challenges, I have tagged every challenge with explorable
math content. On the right side of the blog, a list of “What math content do you want to explore through math
art?” is always visible. If you select any of the tags there, you will immediately be able to scroll through the
#MathArtChallenges with those tags. The full list of tags is visible
in Figure 5.
Additionally, I have included a grid with all 100 challenges
and their tags listed. That grid is available at the end of this
document.

Figure 4: List of math content tags available on


[Link]

12
Connecting the #MathArtChallenge to the 8 Mathematical Practices
In addition to the math content in each challenge, the end of each post has suggestions for connecting
that math art to the 8 Mathematical Practices. For each challenge, I have selected 2-3 of the mathematical
practices and offered a suggestion for how it connects to that math art activity.
Each activity ends with the note: “Depending on how you use this activity, you may engage with
different mathematical standards. I’ve listed possible connected math content above. Here are a few
suggestions for how you might integrate the 8 mathematical practices. Feel free to add your own suggestions in
the comments!” That note includes a link to a longer document explaining the 8 math practices.
I believe in helping students see math as something more than numbers on a page. As such, the 8
mathematical practices give us a framework and language to help our students expand their perceptions of
mathematics. It is not uncommon for students to wonder when some math content we’re learning will be useful
for them outside math class, and my answer is often something pointing to the mathematical practices.
Everyone may not need to know how to factor quadratics in their lives, but everyone will need to learn how to
use appropriate tools strategically. Everyone will benefit from being able to construct viable arguments.
Highlighting the skills they learn through the #MathArtChallenges helps students learn the academic merit in
their math art.
For example, #MathArtChallenge 21 Agra Fort Islamic Design, asks
students to create an Islamic design using either a compass and straight edge, or
with grid paper. The post includes the following suggestions for connecting to
the 8 mathematical practices. The practices are in regular type, the suggestions
in italics. The numbers correspond to the numbering in the linked document, so Figure 5: Agra Fort Islamic Design
teachers can easily read more on that math practice should they choose to.

5.) Use appropriate tools strategically. This is traditionally made with a compass and straight edge, but
instructions have been provided as well for completing on grid paper. Which is the preferred method for
you? Why?
6.) Attend to precision. Seriously, the intersections need to match… take your time. Enjoy the process!
8.) Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. If you choose to tessellate this, what structures
will you rely on to make that tessellation possible? Which intersections require that you pay closest
attention?

As you can see, some of the suggestions are questions to prod further thinking. Some ask the reader to think
more deeply about their creation, and some are simply suggestions based on my experience creating
mathematical art.

13
Anticipating Student Responses

As with anything we do in class, it is wise to anticipate how our students will react. We want to know
where they might get stuck and to think about what takeaways they will have. To that end, before you employ a
specific math art challenge in your class, I encourage you to do that challenge yourself. Your creation doesn’t
have to be perfect! My examples are there for you to use in every challenge.
That said, in my experience, here are common hang-ups students run into when attempting these
challenges:

Hesitation based on the student’s perceived artistic abilities


Just as some of our students do not yet see themselves as mathematicians, some of them do not yet see
themselves as artists. Help those students by encouraging them to try something new, and showing them
that many of the math art challenges offer structure not always present in non-math art activities. They
can use rulers and lean on the “rules” of the challenge to support their math art.

Students who do not “see” the math in their math art


Help these students by asking them to name mathematical vocabulary connected to the math art. Help
them look for patterns and structure. Lean on the 8 mathematical practices as justification for the
activities.

Students taking a long time with their creations


Just like we need to work with our students who take longer learning a math concept, some students will
take longer learning how and then taking time to create math art. Plan accordingly and be understanding
when students need more time.

Students frustrated with imprecision in their work


This is probably the most common concern after students concern about their artistic abilities. It helps
significantly if you can model for students when and why precision is needed. When I use origami in
class, I make a “sloppy” version and a more precise version before I let students start their work. By
showing them ahead of time, many will often put in the extra effort to make straight lines or work more
methodically. For those who really, despite a model, struggle, I try to pair them in groups or celebrate
their slightly wonky models by noting that the mathematical structures are still present. You can, of
course, also offer supports like graphing software, pre-cut pieces, or nudge students toward more precise
tools (a mechanical pencil instead of a sharpened one).
14
Samples of Student Work
The next few pages show examples of student work created through the #MathArtChallenge. This first
page contains work created exclusively by my students. Because I do not currently have middle school students,
the following pages show work created by the middle grade students of other teachers and shared with me.

Student Work 3, Based on #MathArtChallenge 5

Student Work 2, Based on


#MathArtChallenge 22

Student Work 1, Based on


#MathArtChallenge 7

Student Work 4 & 5, Based on


#MathArtChallenge 38.5 (Above & below)

Student Work 6, Based on #MathArtChallenge 2

15
More Student Work

Student Work 7-9, Based on #MathArtChallenge 1

Student Work 10, Based on


#MathArtChallenge 19

Student Work 11, Based on


#MathArtChallenge 2 Student Work 12, Based on
#MathArtChallenge 9

Student Work 15, Based on


#MathArtChallenge 5

Student Work 14, Based on


Student Work 13, Based on #MathArtChallenge 11
#MathArtChallenge 3

16
Teachers Sharing the #MathArtChallenge Work of Their Students
All screenshots below are from Twitter.

17
Acknowledgements
So many people contributed to making the creation of the #MathArtChallenge successful. I am
extremely grateful for those who participated, suggested challenges, encouraged me, and generally helped me
take on this massive project. Thank you to everyone who helped create or inspire a challenge: Squidge, Mark
Kaercher, Siddhi Desai, Lybrya Kebreab, Kate Nowak, Katherine Seaton, Megan Schmidt, Locke Perkins, Dave
Richeson, Paula Krieg, Carl Oliver, Erick Lee, Dave Feinberg, Martin Joyce, Eddi Vulic, Daina Taimina,
Samira Mian, Emily Lynch Victory, Andrea Noel, Oliver Longuet, George Hart, Anna Weltman, Elisabeth
Heathfield, Matt Henderson, Joumana Medlej, Ron Eglash, the Math Catcher Outreach Program, Math Pickle,
Numberphile, Pat Ashforth and Steve Pummer of Woolly Thoughts, and Vi Hart. Sincere apologies to anyone I
inadvertently missed.
Thank you also to everyone who participated and made me feel this was a project worth spending this
much time on. I am overjoyed every time a teacher shares with me their experience with these math art
activities. It is wonderful to know there is more math art in the world.
And finally, thank you to Joe Troszak, who kindly put up with me ignoring him for days on end while I
made math art, read endless drafts of this document, and talked through so many different challenges with me
during their creation and curation.

18
Name:________________________

#MathArtChallenge Reflections
Which #MathArtChallenge did you complete?

Briefly describe your finished math art. Name one thing you enjoyed about this task, and one
thing that was challenging.

How do you see your artwork connected to math? What mathematical questions arose while you
worked? What could you explore next to learn more?

19

#9
#8
#7
#6
#5
#4
#3
#2
#1

#25
#24
#23
#22
#21
#20
#19
#18
#17
#16
#15
#14
#13
#12
#11
#10
Math Art Challenge

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
2D

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
3D

ü
Algebra

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
Angles

ü
ü
ü
Arithmetic

Calculus

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
Circles

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
Combinations/Permutation
s

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

ü Counting
ü

Exponents

ü
ü

Fractals

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Functions

ü
ü
ü
ü

Geometric Construction

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Geometry

ü
ü
ü
ü

Graph Theory
ü
ü

Hyperbolic Geometry
ü

Islamic Geometry
ü
ü

Isometric

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Knot Theory

ü
ü
ü

Origami

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Lines
ü
ü

Perspective

Philosophy on math

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Polygons
ü
ü
ü

Polyhedra
ü
ü
ü

Probability
Table: Math Content Explorable Through Individual #MathArtChallenges

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Proportions/Ratios
ü
ü
ü

Randomness
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Sequences
ü

Slope

Statistics
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Symmetry
ü
ü
ü

Tessellations
ü

Topology
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Vertices & Intersections


20

#50
#49
#48
#47
#46
#45
#44
#43
#42
#41
#40
#39
#38
#37
#36
#35
#34
#33
#32
#31
#30
#29
#28
#27
#26
Math Art Challenge

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
2D

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
3D

ü
ü
ü
Algebra

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
Angles

ü
ü
Arithmetic

Calculus

ü
ü
Circles

ü
Combinations/Permutations

ü
ü
ü
ü
Counting

Exponents

ü
Fractals

ü
ü
ü
Functions

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Geometric Construction

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Geometry

ü
Graph Theory

Hyperbolic Geometry

ü
ü

Islamic Geometry

Isometric
ü
ü

Knot Theory

ü
ü
ü
Origami

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Lines
ü

Perspective

Philosophy on math
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Polygons
Math Content Explorable Through Individual #MathArtChallenges

ü
ü
ü

Polyhedra
ü

Probability
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Proportions/Ratios
ü

Randomness
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Sequences

Slope

Statistics
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Symmetry
Tessellations
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Topology
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Vertices & Intersections


21

#75
#74
#73
#72
#71
#70
#69
#68
#67
#66
#65
#64
#63
#62
#61
#60
#59
#58
#57
#56
#55
#54
#53
#52
#51
Math Art Challenge

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
2D

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
3D

ü
Algebra

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
Angles

ü
Arithmetic

ü
Calculus

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
Circles

ü
ü
ü
ü

Combinations/Permutations

ü
ü
ü
ü

Counting

ü
ü Exponents

ü
Fractals

Functions

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Geometric Construction

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Geometry

ü
ü
ü

Graph Theory
ü

Hyperbolic Geometry

ü
ü
ü

Islamic Geometry
ü
Isometric

ü
ü

Knot Theory

ü
ü
ü

Origami

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Lines
ü
ü

Perspective

ü
Philosophy on math
ü
ü
ü

Polygons
Math Content Explorable Through Individual #MathArtChallenges

ü Polyhedra
ü
ü
ü

Probability
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Proportions/Ratios
ü

Randomness
ü
ü

Sequences
ü
ü
ü

Slope
ü

Statistics
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Symmetry
ü

Tessellations
ü
ü
ü
ü

Topology
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Vertices & Intersections


22

#99
#98
#97
#96
#95
#94
#93
#92
#91
#90
#89
#88
#87
#86
#85
#84
#83
#82
#81
#80
#79
#78
#77
#76

#100
Math Art Challenge

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
2D

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
3D

ü
ü
ü
ü
Algebra

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
Angles

ü
ü
ü
Arithmetic

Calculus

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
Circles

ü
ü
Combinations/Permutations

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
Counting

Exponents

ü
ü
ü

Fractals

ü
ü
Functions

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Geometric Construction

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Geometry

ü
ü
ü
ü

Graph Theory

Hyperbolic Geometry

ü
ü

Islamic Geometry

Isometric

ü
ü

Knot Theory

ü
ü

Origami
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Lines
ü
ü

Perspective

ü
ü
ü

Philosophy on math

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Polygons
Math Content Explorable Through Individual #MathArtChallenges

ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Polyhedra
ü

Probability
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Proportions/Ratios
ü
ü

Randomness
ü
ü

Sequences
ü
ü

Slope
ü

Statistics
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Symmetry
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Tessellations
ü
ü

Topology
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü

Vertices & Intersections


23

Common questions

Powered by AI

The #MathArtChallenge covers a wide range of mathematical topics such as geometry, graph theory, and symmetry, among others . For instance, Challenge #70: Spinning Heptagon involves exploring angles, geometry, and symmetry through creating an origami spinner, while Challenge #71: Sona Drawings engages with graph theory and counting . These varied topics enrich the learning experience by allowing exploration of complex concepts in a creative and engaging manner, enhancing both understanding and retention .

Blog posts for the #MathArtChallenge are structured to aid in both implementation and learning by providing clear, step-by-step instructions along with materials lists and links to instructional content . At the top, posts offer a picture or video example to visually convey the challenge. Descriptions of the challenge, necessary materials, and mathematical concepts are clearly delineated, facilitating straightforward implementation in classrooms. This structure is important as it ensures teachers can easily understand and convey the activity to students, while also leveraging multimedia elements to aid diverse learners .

The #MathArtChallenge is a prime example of how educational approaches adapted during the pandemic to maintain engagement in learning despite physical school closures. It reflects a shift towards using creative, digital, and easily accessible resources to facilitate remote learning. By incorporating common at-home materials and engaging projects, it ensured continuity of education and promoted an adaptive learning environment that bridged the gap between standard curriculum delivery and students' new learning contexts at home .

The #MathArtChallenge supports differentiated learning by offering a wide range of activities that cover various mathematical concepts and levels of complexity, from basic arithmetic to advanced topics like calculus and knot theory . This variety allows educators to tailor challenges to match students' individual abilities and interests, encouraging students to learn at their own pace and explore topics that personally engage them. Additionally, the open-ended nature of artistic creation inherent in these challenges supports multiple entry points for students with diverse learning styles .

To effectively integrate #MathArtChallenge activities, teachers should follow a structured approach: First, introduce students to the activity with available blog examples. Second, allocate time for students to create their art, ensuring materials are prepared. Third, conduct a reflection where students link their creations to math content and practices, which can be facilitated through graphic organizers. Lastly, hold class discussions to connect math art to broader curricular goals and the 8 mathematical practices, using prompts from each blog post to deepen students' understanding .

Each #MathArtChallenge activity is linked to 2-3 of the 8 mathematical practices, helping to illustrate and deepen learning of these practices . This connection is important because it provides students with practical, experiential learning opportunities that go beyond theoretical understanding. Engaging with these practices through art allows students to make meaningful connections to math content, thereby expanding their knowledge and appreciation for mathematics .

Materials are crucial to the #MathArtChallenge as they facilitate the completion of the various activities. Over 60 of the challenges can be completed with common materials such as pencil, paper, and scissors . The availability of common materials makes it easier for a wide range of students to participate, regardless of their access to specialized items. However, some activities do require uncommon materials like twisting balloons or zippers, which could limit participation for some students .

The #MathArtChallenge was created as a response to school shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for continued student engagement in mathematics from home, especially when not all students had access to textbooks, inspired its creation . The #MathArtChallenge engages students by combining mathematics with art, making the subject more accessible and interesting. Students who are usually less engaged in traditional math classes become more involved and discussions about mathematical concepts naturally emerge during these activities .

Incorporating uncommon materials in #MathArtChallenge activities can spark creativity and provide unique learning experiences, potentially making math more engaging. However, the challenge lies in accessibility, as not all students have easy access to items like twisting balloons or zippers . This could create barriers to participation for some students, necessitating educators to either provide these materials or modify activities to use alternatives, adding an additional layer of planning .

The #MathArtChallenge fosters classroom discussions by having students reflect on their completed art in relation to math concepts . Teachers can facilitate discussions via small groups, a gallery walk, or whole-class settings. These discussions help students connect mathematical ideas to their work and understand how different challenges relate to specific math practices. Such discussions promote deeper conceptual understanding and encourage students to articulate their thought processes and learning .

 
1 
The #MathArtChallenge 
 
By Annie Perkins 
 
Finalist- Rosenthal Prize 2020
2 
Table of Contents 
WHAT IS THE #MATHARTCHALLENGE? ......................................................................
3 
What is the #MathArtChallenge? 
 
The #MathArtChallenge is a compilation of 101 different math art activities (or “chall
4 
History of the #MathArtChallenge 
 
The #MathArtChallenge is a direct result of the school shutdowns caused by the COVID
5 
How to Navigate the Blog Posts 
 
The instructions for all of these challenges can be found at: arbitrarilyclose.com/hom
 
6 
Anatomy of Each Blog Post 
 
 
 
 
Figure 2: Anatomy of a #MathArtChallege blog post
7 
How to use the #MathArtChallenge in Class 
 
With 101 different activities to choose from, there is no one correct way t
8 
Which #MathArtChallenge did you complete?   
This question is purely for the sake of record keeping. If you have your st
9 
• “What do you notice about the structure of your artwork?”  
o Help them see the structure in their piece. You may ask
10 
 
Each #MathArtChallenge has 2-3 suggested connections to the 8 math practices. I encourage you to 
really dig deep on

You might also like