June Theme: Math in the Arts

At first glance, the arts and math may seem to be very different things, but there is a rich relationship between the two in both the visual and performing arts. In the visual arts, math has had a profound influence with tools such as perspective, symmetry, and mathematical objects. Math can also be found throughout the performing arts of theater, dance, and music.
Learning math can be creative, expressive, and fun. Use art to find patterns and teach spatial skills because those are foundational math skills, too! Click into June to learn more about spatial language and do fun activities around math and art.
Summer Fun
Topic: Summer Time Math Practice
Summer is here, but learning should never take a vacation. Let your child enjoy continued learning during the summer vacation with simple skill practice.
Materials:
- a calculator
- random-number generator like 2 die or playing cards
- printed math facts table: Addition, Multiplication
Number of Players: 3
How to Play:
One player is the “Caller,” a second player is the “Calculator,” and the third is the “Brain.”
The “Caller” selects a fact problem by rolling the die, picking two cards, or randomly selecting two single-digit numbers, to create an addition-fact, or multiplication-fact problem (depending on the skill level of the players). The “Calculator” then solves the problem with a calculator while the “Brain” solves it without a calculator. The “Caller” decides who got the answer first.
Players trade roles every 10 turns or so.
Get more ideas at Everyday Math
How to play:
Let your child think of a number between a stated range of numbers while you try to guess the number by asking questions. Here is a sample conversation.
Child: I am thinking of a number between 1 and 100.
Parent: Is it more than 50?
Child: No.
Parent: Is it an even number?
Child: No.
Parent: Is it more than 20 but less than 40?
Child: Yes.
Parent: Can you reach it by starting at zero and counting by 3’s?
Child: Yes.
(At this stage, your child could be thinking of 21, 27, 33, or 39.)
Figure out the answers to your own questions.
After you have guessed your child’s number, let your child guess a number from you by asking similar questions.
Get more ideas at Math.com
Estimating length can become easier when you know the length of parts of your body. To help you child begin understanding length, help her measure parts of her body.
Material:
a standard 12-inch ruler
piece of paper and pencil to take notes.
A few suggestions:
- Decide which unit of measurement you’ll be using, inches or centimeters.
- Begin by measuring each finger.
- Write down the length of each finger.
- Talk about which one is the longest? Shortest?
- What else can you see that is almost the same length as a finger?
- Measure the length from your elbow to the tip of your longest finger.
- Write down that length.
- Can you see or think of anything that is almost the same as this length?
- Measure the length of your foot.
- Write down that length.
- What other objects are almost the same as this length?
Tips:
- Remind your child that estimating is “an about.”
- Discuss how to decide which inch mark is a better choice depending on the object measuring before or after the half-way mark.
- Let you child take the ruler to other places to keep practicing.
Math in the Arts Events
Sunday, June 16, 2-4pm
This month’s activity is Math in the Arts: How are math and art related? Did you know art can be made using math? Join 12 Months of Math to learn about tessellations, fractals, triangles and more to see how art and math are connected!
Math in the Arts Activities
Story Time in the Park Launch Event
Saturday, June 9, 9am–1pm
Location:
Tower Pond Park
601 86th Street SW, Albuquerque NM
Learn more about the APS Title I Story Time in the Park, and Summer Meal Program.
12 Months of Math will host math activities during the Story Time in the Park launch event.
Mission Graduate: Launch to Learn Family Summer Adventure
To combat learning loss, the Summer Learning Team works with museums, libraries, schools, local food and wellness programs, and others to give children numerous opportunities to learn throughout the summer. Read more.
Get your Summer Learning Guide at the following participating Albuquerque locations:
Math in coding and computer science education are spanning all industries. Worldwide expansion of use of computer technologies requires a wide range of coding education and skills. Here are a few careers:
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Video Game developer, web developer, animator (Pixar, Disney, etc)
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Machine automation (assembly line machines, medical tools, etc)
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Creating simulations to understand real-life situations
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Accounting
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Scientists/Engineers/
Mathematician -
Any sort of analysis type job
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Robotics and artificial intelligence engineer/developer
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Explora Educator
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Data security and encryption (not just strict coding, but tons of math too!)
Learn how these professionals use math in their careers:
Thanks to our Title Sponsors:
12 Months of Math, a project of STEM-NM, is a city-wide initiative designed to explore and celebrate math’s importance to our community and in our lives. 12 Months of Math will provide community-based, culturally-relevant, multilingual family math programs for the public. Each month of math will focus on a selected theme and will provide math activities in a real-world context, supported by local business and organizations whose work relates to the month’s theme. 12 Months of Math brings together the varied expertise of partner organizations and coordinates efforts to bring about significant improvement in children’s math outcomes.
STEM-NM is New Mexico’s nationally-designated STEM Learning Ecosystem, working to increase the prosperity of our community by engaging students and preparing them for jobs in our local science, technology, and health care sectors.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1744541. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
12 Months of Math is looking for math events and opportunities to engage New Mexico families. If you would like to share math information with us please fill in this contact form.