Hi, everyone! When I first agreed to do this Carnival, I could not imagine that I will be writting and preparing for it in lock down. But here we are, a strange situation with a stressfull environment. With this in mind, we have to hope for the better. With this in mind, the Carnival is split into Learning Resources & Activities and Relaxation Time. With all that is happening around us, we need to look for activities that relax us.
WELCOME TO PLAYFUL MATH EDUCATIONAL BLOG CARNIVAL #137
Before we go on with the activities, 137 is a special number, my favourite kind: PRIME NUMBER. It is the 33rd prime number, with the next one being 139 – which makes them twin primes (A twin prime is a prime number that is either 2 less or 2 more than another prime number). Also, it is a Chen prime (A prime number p is called a Chen prime if p + 2 is either a prime or a product of two primes). It can also be written as a sum of 2 squares: 11² + 4² = 121 + 16.
Learning Resources and Activities
We have a couple of really good articles with multiple resources for online teaching/learning. First article we have here is Math Links for Week Ending Apr 17th 2020. It has some really good links, video and images that will be useful, but also fun.
Speaking of great online resources and activities, you have to check 5 Maths Gems #126. When it says gems… yes, they are some very good websites and activities that you can use at home or at the school. (Also, go and check the over Maths Gems on the blog because they are great as well.) From this article I have found one of my favourite activities at the moment: Number Dot to Dot. You have to check it out, it’s fascinating (especially if you are a fun of Knots and Knot Theory).
Now is the time to start reading more Homeschooling articles to get ideas for what we can do with children home. One great article that has a great list of ideas for tackling mathematics through play is Homeschooling Tip #1: Start with Play. You will find a nice range of activities from different types of games to great artistical ones.
Another great way to learn or practice some mathematics is by trying out some games or learning apps. When it comes to learning apps, most of them are quite interactive and very interesting when using them. If you want to find some great apps you could use, take a look at the article 10 Apps for Learning and Improving your Mathematics at Home. If you are looking for more games online, you can also check Time for some games…, a great list of relaxing fun games you can try.
On the same topic, we have some really awesome activities from Math = Love by Sarah with Highlights: Volume 2 – great activities from some interesting books (mentioned in the post as well).
Geometry has been one of the starting point for mathematics. A lot of mathematicians from Ancient Civilizations wanted to understand the world around them through understand the shapes and their properties. Therefore, they wanted to know geometry. The following article has a great list of geometry puzzles that are just fascinating, totally recommend 11 Geometry Puzzles that Drive you Crazy.
Algebra is one of those parts of mathematics which is considered a must when it comes to understanding more complex concepts. In a way, algebra is just a generalized aspect of arithmetic. Personally, I think of algebra as a code-breaker. You get some interesting rules, you play with the general code and in the end you find some interesting aspect that applies to different sets of numbers. The article Basics of Algebra by MathbyMath is a great introduction to it.
Relaxation Time
Finding new ways to relax in this period is a must. Therefor, when I saw 15 Creative Mathematical Cross Stitch Patterns for Science Communications and Math Enthusiasts I thought this is the best way. Susan Silver presents some very beautiful interesting patterns. While you are scrolling on Beauty of Mathematics, you should also check the article 10 Personal Mathematical Myths Undermining My Self Confidence. This is a great post to check if you or someone close to you is strugling with mathematics.
Another perfect way to completely relax is reading. There are a lot of books that present different mathematical in fun ways and this article is a great place to start researching the best ones for your children: 54 Top-Rated Educational Math Books for Children. You find books about mathematicians together with books with games and much more. It’s just a great list!
What about a relaxing activity that teaches children mathematics, but it also helps you as a parent to get some things done properly? I was very intrigued when I found this article: Maths, reading and better nutrition: All the reasons to cook with your kids. There is one sentence in there that kind of sold it for me: “Being able to apply maths and science concepts to everyday situations helps develop self-confidence in daily activities.”
The last bit I want to share here is an actual magazine: Chalkdust. I would recommend this to older readers. I am sure they will find something interesting in their last issue: from How to Cheat at Cards to Adopt a Polyhedron, it’s quite fun.
In the end, I think you should check last months carnival: The Playful Math Educational Blog Carnival #136. Also, keep an eye out on Math Hombre for the #138 edition. Thank you for all your support and for all ther articles you have sent us on Facebook and Tumblr.
Have a great day. You can find us on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram. We will try to post there as often as possible.
Lots of love and don’t forget that maths is everywhere! Enjoy!
Life Through A Mathematician's Eyes 