Take and Make: Shisima Game from Kenya for SE Branch Library

Lauren SiegelEvents, Intern Experience, Library, Mathematical Artifacts, Spanish version, Take and Make, We think math is fun!Leave a Comment

SE Branch library invited us to participate in their event celebrating music from Kenya.  We found a new strategy game two player strategy game called Shisima that is related to tic-tac-toe, that originates from Kenya.  Melissa Wilkinson cut and made the design that Stefany Espinoza created.  Quan Nguyen and Marianne Villanueva brought the game to SE Branch, participated in some drumming and

Take and Make: Trammel Kit

Lauren SiegelMaking Math, Sharing Ideas, Take and Make, Ways to like math, We think math is fun!Leave a Comment

12-28 Update.  We continue to iterate on the Trammel Project.  Dr. Sereveny’s students at Riverbend Community Math Center have updated the files with a larger hole for the pencil/pen and they are working on an adjustable arm so we can make multiple shapes (of Ellipses). And they sent Links to the Hardware screws and filament: Hardware: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XRX2F4Q/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2N32G193BWL7U&psc=1 We use a

Take and Make: Scott Kim Block by Block Jr- SE Branch Library

Lauren SiegelHouston, Library, Making Math, Sharing Ideas, Take and Make, Ways to like math, We think math is fun!Leave a Comment

Whether in 1″ Maple, or 1/2″ pine, or 5″ cardboard, this block set known as Block by Block Jr. designed  by puzzle designer Scott Kim has multiple uses and offers a variety of ways to practice spacial skills, problem solving and just have fun together.   We highly recommend this activity for all ages.   We ordered 1000 block from a

Take and Make: Linkages Pop-up Card

Lauren SiegelCommunity Partnerships, Intern Experience, Library, Making Math, Sharing Ideas, Take and Make, We think math is fun!Leave a Comment

Its a Day of the Dead Celebration at SE Branch Library!  Kids were able to decorate and color a moveable candle.  Staffers Mason Chng and Stefany Espinoza were joined by Jackie Salazar and Branch Manager Irene Magana-Noverola at the SE Branch Library.  Video of the card moving. We cut the cardstock with the laser – a first for us and

Take and Make:Frames for 21st Century Pattern Blocks at Asmbly Makerspace in Austin TX

Lauren SiegelCommunity Partnerships, Making Math, Take and Make, We think math is fun!Leave a Comment

Meet Art Zamora and Johnnie Perales, new partners who will be making 20 sets of frames for 21st Century Pattern Blocks. The blocks and the frames along with other math activities will be going to clubhouses for children who are residents in 18 low income housing complexes across Texas.  Sets of pattern blocks and frames will also go to 4

Take and Make: Tabletop Optical Illusions and Perspective Playground

Lauren SiegelMaking Math, Mathematical Artifacts, Sharing Ideas, Take and Make, Ways to like math, We think math is fun!Leave a Comment

We found an instructable on making chalk art patterns in CorelDraw.  But guess what? — you can use this technique to poster print all kinds of fun 3d designs.  The instructable is here.   Its pretty cool! We sent a logo perspective box, aReuleux car and some conic section models to the NWMath Conference. PDFs can be printed in various sizes.  “Chalk”

Mathemagician Sunday Funday – Neill-Cochran House Museum

Lauren SiegelEvents, Intern Experience, Making Math, Sharing Ideas, Take and Make, Ways to like math, We think math is fun!Leave a Comment

We built mathematician kits! We explored the magic area puzzle, cut and assembled linkages, taped impossible cylinders, made cipher nametags, proved that 64=65, a geometric dissection with hinged pieces (circle – square – heart) and more.  Read about the whole kit here.  There are links to printable versions, and notes about each project. Thanks to Quan Nguyen, Mason Chng and

Cinco de Mayo! We had a blast!

Lauren SiegelCommunity Partnerships, Events, Intern Experience, Library, Parks & Recreation, Take and Make, Ways to like math, We think math is fun!Leave a Comment

What a nice event at the George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center! In partnership with the Austin Public Library we set up some stacking frames for ball pit balls, giant tangrams, provided a flower of life medallion to color, chompers (mathematical origami) and geometry kits to make your own flower of life. Many thanks to Austin Public Library and our

Take and Make: Magician’s Rods

Lauren SiegelMaking Math, Mathematical Artifacts, Sharing Ideas, Take and Make, Ways to like math, We think math is fun!Leave a Comment

I learned about these on a video on Numberphile. .  In the video they said the magic words “no longer available” and that was it, we had to make our own.  Josephine Sheng designed these way back in 2017 I think, and we just never posted.  We don’t like “tricking” people, but if you have a good half hour you can