I am so excited to share what I've been working on!
I wrote a children's book about the beauty and joy of math.
Sometimes doing something ordinary, like folding a strip of paper in half over and over again, turns into something unexpected. Join Aiyana as she experiences the beauty of fractals in the unfolding of an extraordinary journey.
The Dragon Curve - a Magical Math Journey
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My friend and artist Katrina Shirley brought Aiyana's adventure to life with her stunning illustrations!
Aiyana finds a long, skinny strip of paper on the ground that looks like a road. As she follows the road, she folds the paper in half, and it becomes a mountain for her to climb. With every fold, she makes a new shape, one that fuels her curiosity in wonderful ways, and takes her on a magical journey into the world of fractals. This is a beautiful story about the power of imagination, mathematics, and the world around us. It is a chance for readers of all ages to get a glimpse of the beauty of math and experience the joy of inspiring the inner mathematician in all of us.
Dragon Curve Lesson Plans and Math Activities That Kids Will Love!
Stay tuned for lesson plans linked to math, science, technology, art, and language arts. We are also working on coloring pages, ideas for parents at home, and more magical math journeys! I would love to get Aiyana's journey translated into different languages and shared around the world.
| the_dragon_curve_-_a_magical_math_journey_-_lesson_plan___fractal_exploration.pdf |
Initial Reviews:
“One fold. Two folds. Three folds. More! This story so beautifully captures the essence of exploring mathematics: its imagination, its depth, and its surprises as “simple” ideas unravel to reveal a universe of wonders to embrace. This is a gem of a book!”
-James Tanton, Research Mathematician, Founder of the Global Math Project, Married to a Real Rocket Scientist
"Children and adults alike will be mesmerized by this adventure into the world of dragons, boats, clouds, and goats, all of which help show the wonderful geometric patterns created by a perfect mix of story-telling, illustration, strips of paper, and imagination. What an excellent way to introduce children to the thrill of exploring, wondering, and asking questions, that is, to the world of doing mathematics."
-Nathalie Sinclair, Professor, Researcher of Mathematics Education, Passionate about Sharing the Beauty of Geometry
“Start with a playful adventure, add some delightful mathematics, multiply by the joyful curiosity of a child, and you will equal this brilliant tale. A definite read for the whole family to discover and create their own unique link to the magic of math." -David Martin, Math Coach, Parent of Three Children, Twitter Math Ed. Hero
“The Dragon Curve demonstrates that sometimes the simplest of ideas have the power to invite us into imaginative, curious, and never-ending mathematics. Invitations like these are critical for young learners as they build their identity as mathematical sense makers both in the classroom and the home.”
-Nat Banting Father of Two, Mathematics Teacher of Many More, Champion of Math Education
I literally had full-body goosebumps while reading this beautiful book, which is the EXACT sensation I hope that everyone feels, at least once, when learning mathematics!
-Vanessa "the math guru" Vakharia, Change Agent, Motivational Math Speaker
"They really liked it... the pictures are incredible and they liked the repetition of the story. They started repeating it as they figured it out. This is what my kids had to say: "Wait! There’s still more to read!" "It’s like a real treasure hunt!" Thank you for this experience with them." -Rebecca Gonci, Teacher and Mother of two young people aged 4 and 6
"Really cool idea of paper folding."
"I like the repeating pattern in the book."
"The illustrations are awesome."
"The little girl is so imaginative."
"This book is very peaceful."
"I love the dragons!"
-Jennifer Trydal’s Grade 6 Class
"I love how the book requires imagination. It takes me back to when I was a child."
"It's interesting how a strip of paper can become a story."
"I love how everything she made with one simple piece of paper turned into all of this! I love the creativity."
"This is a great way to introduce younger children to math."
"This is going to inspire kids."
-Kylie Fraser’s Grade 9 Math Students
Who Am I ?
I have been a teacher with Grande Prairie and District Catholic Schools since 2005. I am currently an Assistant Principal at an 8-12 High School with four years of experience as a Numeracy Lead Teacher and Instructional Coach. I have served as the President of the Math Council of the Alberta Teachers' Association and currently sit on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Publishing Committee. I have a Master's Degree in Education from Simon Fraser University and am looking forward to one day pursuing a Ph.D. I enjoy presenting at math conferences, collaborating with teachers online and in person, and am always excited to talk about learning and loving math. I want every child to experience the joy, confidence, and flow of solving big, beautiful problems! I want every child to believe that they can learn math to the highest level and that their inner mathematician is waiting to be awakened! I want all adults to believe this as well, about themselves and the children in their lives. I am passionate about learning and teaching mathematics; I want to help teachers and students gain confidence as math learners through problem solving, collaboration, and perseverance.
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My Family
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NUMERACY in our classroom
"Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think."
- Albert Einstein
