When Math and Art Collide…

Math can be a tedious subject for many students. A great way to appeal to their interest is to integrate the subject with something that they do enjoy. Tammy Andrew suggests linking math with art by creating a concept collage proposing that this activity “gives them [students] the opportunity to consider the concept in a different way and then visually explain it”. In her article, Andrew offers guidance on choosing topics for exploration, materials needed, and time allowances. In her experience, younger children respond well to geometric concepts. Kindergarten and first grade students who have spent time on shape identification can search through magazines for pictures of squares, triangles, circles, etc. to use in their collages. Older students can use magazine cutouts, other materials, and their creativity to explore many relevant topics including: area, perimeter, volume, time, statistics, graphing, trigonometry, and even, calculus.

This can be a great activity to complete at the beginning of each unit to gather what students already know about the concept or can be used to assess what students have learned once a unit has been completed. By making math relevant to your students, you will increase the lesson’s effectiveness and enhance each student’s learning experience.

Creating a Math Collage: Physical Activity to Explore Mathematical Concepts

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