This week’s readings and theme surfaced the importance of multisensory learning – in mathematics specifically – but the idea of multisensory learning extends into other areas as well. As I am writing through the lens of an elementary generalist, I try to incorporate some of these ideas across subject areas. I thought about different ways the senses can play a part in our understanding of mathematics and my mind immediately went to food. Taste and texture, combined with ingredient measurements and time spent cooking, can play a large part in our understanding of mathematical relationships. Did I overcook that dish? Does it need a little more oil, less sugar? Taste and smell are just as important in this scenario, if not more, as sight is.
The shift in pedagogical approach toward multisensory experiences is an interesting one. I feel like as teachers we are always challenging ourselves to make the content engaging and relevant for our students. In Grade 6, I find I sometimes contend with a lot of groans before we actually get started, then as students start to make connections and see value in the activity or task, that energy shifts toward excitement.
This week I attempted hexaflexagons with my students and talked about experiencing symmetry and geometry in a sensory way could enhance our understanding of the concepts that we’ve been exploring. Students started off a little bit unsure, but luckily, Vi Hart’s enthusiasm and encouragement got most of them at least attempting one. It didn’t take long until the excitement was reaching a fever pitch and I had students wanting to create more complicated shapes and structures. One student even took it upon themselves to attempt to build a dodecahexaflexagon.
The difference between looking at a hexagon and making these hexaflexagons and giving students a hands-on activity hopefully led to the students experiencing the polygon in a different way. When I showed them a picture of Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap and asked them if they could make any connections between the hexaflexagon and the Crunchwrap their minds were blown. Who knew you could eat math?
I love the idea of incorporating food into math! When you said "Taste and texture, combined with ingredient measurements and time spent cooking, can play a large part in our understanding of mathematical relationships" I thought instantly of an activity that I do with our school cook every year.
ReplyDeleteEvery year when we are working on fractions we talk about cooking and I have them work with our school cooks to make lunch and/or breakfast. They are in charge of cooking for the whole school so they have to work in groups to convert her recipe to feed the entire school. Each group is in charge of a part of the lunch/breakfast. Then we spend time discussing what what well, or wrong or how they could change it to time things better, taste better, etc. It really allows the students to connect their learning to something practical especially since so many of my students often have to cook for their siblings at home.
I love how you had your students explore hexagons through the hexaflexagons. What a great way for students to explore shapes in a new way. I am interested in hearing more about the math conversations that students had before and after this activity. Did their thinking about hexagons and their properties shift from the typical "textbook definition" of a hexagon after exploring the shape in a unique way.
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