A Visual Math for the Other Side of Your Brain {review}
We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this review or post, but all opinions are our own.
Being a visual learner made math a difficult subject for me, but as we reviewed the MathArt Online 4-Class Bundle from NatureGlo’s eScience, I knew this would be a great way to learn for any child, especially those who lean toward visual learning.
The application of Mathematics is highly visual. You don’t get that feeling as you drudge through your textbook. Since most work is done on a flat, blank sheet of paper, you can get the feeling that math is meant for a 2D world. NatureGlo’s eScience brings math its much needed third demention.
We chose to use MathArt in Ancient Cultures since we are doing a unit study on Ancient Greece. Each lesson has Main Lesson Slide Shows and Study Guide Downloads. With those ready your students can interact with the lessons.
They warm up with a pre-lesson interactive activity. Since we did not participate in the live class we watched the recorded class time. I think this would be a really fun class to take “live” online. The lessons are led by NatureGlo, a full time RVer who has been teacing young people since 1997. She is like having your favorite Aunt pop in on line to teach for a bit.
A Learning Curve For the Less-then Tech Savvy
The only difficulty for us, was that my girls are a bit young in age (10 and 11) and not very tech savvy. The course was much more hands on that I was expecting. They needed me to find files, click through to requested fields and the almost always forgot to click the completed button on the bottom of the lesson. Still, it was a fun way to spend out lesson time and the information was always something new and interesting. That said, I think that they would be ready to take on the next class all by themselves.
A Guided Tour Through History
In the lessons they took a tour of the ancient Babylonian city and learned its history. We discovered the first trig table, way older then you think! Lessons made connections with music and math. They learned about the life of Plato, and Platonic solids.
Overall, the lessons took Mathematical subjects that sound very weighty and advanced, and made then real, tangible and practical. I love that these lessons are making high level math concepts approachable for eleven year old kids.
The Visual Art of Math?
Yes, math well represented in art. Spheres, Mandals, Morocan Tiles. Math in all of its visual glory. The girls had severe opportinities to make 3D shapes from paper amd create their own patters art. For a house full of doodlers this was a fun activity. They loved the Morocan tile activity and watched several more videos because they wanted to try new patterns.
This course was a great way to get the kids thinking about math that they see every day. It also made these huge math terms, approachable. Breaking them down by meaning and origin. I love the fact that when they come up again in upper grade work our girls will not be intimidated. Familiarity takes a ton of fear out of math.
Plan Ahead for Summer Learing
Four classes are available right now in this bundle. It would make a great all inclusive summer program.
This bundle includes four 6-week classes
- Math Connections With the Real World
- MathArt in Ancient Cultures
- Mathematics in the Arts & Sciences
- MathArt Patterns in Nature
I am going to try to catch the Winter Live Class about the Golden Ratio & Fabriconi Numbers. Here is a quote about what it will teach. Maybe you will be there too.
“Students learn about nature’s surprisingly beautiful numbers discovered and implemented by humanity since ancient times in art, architecture, and science. We study the golden ratio (1.618) also called phi, and the Fibonacci number series (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13…etc.). Recommended ages are 10 and up. Younger advanced students are welcome to join.”
