Unfolding Mathematics with Unit Origami

by Betsy Franco

Unfolding Mathematics With Unit Origami At last-an origami book designed specifically for mathematics classrooms! Origami books are typically written by origami experts and aimed at origami enthusiasts. This art form lends itself wonderfully to teaching mathematicsbut it's been up to you to find ways to do it. Now comes Unfolding Mathematics with Unit Origami, designed especially for algebra and geometry students in high school or middle school. Its elegant illustrations and detailed folding and assembly instructions enable you and your students to create beautiful and intriguing three-dimensional origami models. Its 16 absorbing activitiesall in blackline master formhave been carefully prepared in order of increasing difficulty of both folds and mathematical concepts. Through origami folding sequences, basic mathematical ideas reveal themselves: algebraic and angle relationships and different types of symmetry in two and three dimensions will engage your students'interest in new ways. You can choose activities from anywhere in the book, but if you move from front to back you'll cover an amazingly broad range of mathematical topics. And while the book's purpose is to teach mathematics, it also introduces students to the art of origami and contributions made to that art by noted origami experts, such as Tomoko Fus, Kunihiko Kasahara, David Masunaga, and Robert Neale. Most activities can be done in one class period and offer opportunities for group work, journal writing, and projects. Autobiographical vignettes by origami artists introduce students to origami culture and prompt students to discuss their own experiences with origami. The overview explains how you can best use this book in your classroom, including methods for assessing student work. Every activity gives you teaching ideas and strategies, as well as suggestions for extensions of the activity. There's also a glossary of terms and a list of recommended readings.

Genres: Mathematics, Origami

136 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1999

About the author

Betsy Franco is an accomplished and versatile author whose body of work spans over 80 published titles, including fiction, young adult novels, picture books, and poetry collections. Known for her creative, collage-like approach to storytelling, Franco has also written a screenplay for each of her novels, with Naked optioned for film and The Art of Love currently in post-production.
Franco has a strong background in film and theater, having served as the screenwriting mentor for Metamorphosis, Junior Year, a film adaptation of her novel and play. The project was a family collaboration involving her sons James and Tom Franco, and it was well received at major festivals including Cinequest and Mill Valley, earning recognition as a top ten film by the San Jose Mercury News.
Her creative partnerships with her sons continue across various mediums: she appeared in James Franco’s film The Broken Tower and on General Hospital, while Tom Franco has illustrated her books and co-produced films with her. She also works closely with her son Dave Franco, who assists with her writing projects and participated in the audiobook of Metamorphosis, Junior Year alongside James.