Women in Mathematics! Katherine Johnson calculated trajectories, parabolic and otherwise for NASA in the 1960s. Almost 70 years earlier Mary Boole invented curve stitching to teach the mathematical properties of parabolas to children. We made some really great foldable parabolas to connect to the work of both these women in math. Here’s the laser file – we cut the holes
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MathHappens in Nature
We have officially launched our new weekly program at the Austin Nature and Science Center! This program will go from 10am-2pm every Saturday so checkout our Facebook for more information. The room will have rotating puzzles and activities, a shelf full of books for various ages, and something you can make and take home with you! Don’t miss out because
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MathHappens in Nature – Another great day!
Nina and I met little people and big people, families and even a Boy Scout Troup on what turned out to be a math field trip from Houston. They designed with tiles, created polygons and pizzas with hinged mirrors, and explored fractal patterns at the magnet board and by drawing and designing. It was a great Saturday!
MathHappens at Winter Tree Fest
Nina Hunt, Elizabeth Wrightsman, and Josephine Sheng helped present one of our new activities at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Winter Tree Fest this past Saturday. Visitors had the opportunity to explore Pull-String 3D shapes (laser files are here). Here is a video of one of the shapes that visitors got to make to go with the Fortlandia exhibit that was at
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2020 Real Places Conference!
Elizabeth Lay, our math in history expert anchored our exhibit table and Claire Steffens, Director of Experience for Pioneer Farms co-presented with MathHappens Foundation Director Lauren Siegel. Go Team! We had a great time. Some links and information: We learned to use laser cutters at Austins own laser coop: MakeATX For a short and informative explanation of Golden Calipers
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MathHappens @ MoMath and A Great Evening in NY City.
We had a great evening with the MoMath Family Friday Audience with well over 100 people! Tessellating abounded. This display of Michelle Tat’s creative interpretations of the fifteen pentagons was very popular for photos after our talk! Did you notice the #1 tiling for the 40x 70″ display? We made a template you can laser cut and then trace. Our
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See you at MoMath!
Join us a fun Family Friday, 10 January 2020 at the National Museum of Mathematics in New York City! Pentagonal Pursuit: Solving a Century-Old Tiling Problem — Explore the many types of tessellating tiles and decorate your favorites. Take away stories, art and patterns to inspire more discovery at home. Register now to save your spot! Follow us on Instagram
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MathHappens @ STEMScouts_ATX pilot program
We were really excited to provided a mirror reflection kit to STEMScoutsATX this fall. The mobile classroom travels to area schools and offers students an opportunity to explore STEM topics. Viyang Shah is working on some lego cars with square wheels and flower shaped wheels as our next mini exhibit. Here’s their twitter post with photo. Here’s the mobile classroom.
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Austin Nature and Science Center Fall Fest Star Party
One person can make a real difference by bringing math into a family event at the Nature Center. Emmie Chng was working solo with an enthusiastic gathering of families. They learned how to make a plumbline, how to use a quadrant, how to make one at home and why we look to the north star to find latitude. Here’s the
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HEB Free Sunday at the Texas State History Museum – November 3
We had a special treat for HEB Sunday! Caroline Ainslie of Bubbly Math was on hand to make a geodesic dome from balloons. We had a great team for the day including Michelle Tat, Lauren Siegel, Marybeth Barnstone, Millie Barnstone, Emmie Chng, Josephine Sheng, Caroline Ainslie, Samantha Trevino and Nina Hunt~ Samantha, Emmie, Josephine, Nina and some guest MH staffers
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