Market Math

Spotlighting math and technology in a Middle School farmers' market

WOODEN BOARD NAIL STRING ART

Session Duration: 2-3 Lessons || Grade Level: 6-8

Objectives

Everyone has a personal story and a narrative that is worth sharing. There are different opportunities to accomplish this, through words, through images, through song, or in combination. In this series, students are able to transform their personal journey or story into a piece of art. Specifically, a Wooden Board Nail String Art. Each nail and each thread will represent a unique point and transition, making the final product not only highly unique but personalized as well.

BIG IDEA: Significant and possibly challenging points and transitions in our personal stories can create a unique and beautiful piece when viewed from afar.

Link to Experiential Learning Cycle

Technology FOR Education

  • Digital Story Maps (Ex: ArcGIS) https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories - students can imagine a wooden nail board like a geographical map to relay these points of events (nails) and the transitions between the events. The board is a symbol of connections made between points of interest. Digital story maps are a great way for students to explore content and effectively “narrate a strong sense of place” (Arc GIS Ersi).

Question: What is your Story?

What are the key events that define you? How would you visualize with thread and nails?

Outline


TEACHER NOTES - INTRODUCTION:

Every person has a story. For this activity, students are encouraged to share key events and points in their life that they feel are a significant piece to them. What are the key events? How long did each event take? This is a chance to share their personal narration and how it will shape their final wooden board nail art.

MATHEMATICAL LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Rotational symmetry

  • Lines, transects, angles, polygons

  • Tesselations, reflections, rotations, Cartesian plane

  • This may also link to themes in English Literature and Art.


SKILL-BASED OUTCOMES (Core Competencies/Approaches to Learning Skills)

  • Thinking (Critical and Creative)

    • Designing and developing

    • Reflecting and assessing

  • Personal Awareness & Positive Personal and Cultural Identity


ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS:

Abstract Conceptualization: Understanding the symbolic significance. What would the nails represent? The string/thread? The length of string? The colours? How might a personal story be transformed into Wooden Board Nail Art?

Reflective Observations: Record a personal story and brainstorm how many nails are used. What size are the nails? Where they may be placed?

Active Experimentation: Sketch out a diagram of the wooden board nail art and indicate where the nails may be located. Which nails would the string/thread connect? What colours would be chosen?

Concrete Experimentation: Using a board (of your choice), nails and thread, create your piece and print out the story with it.

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