On the Friday before Thanksgiving, the air quality was healthier than it had been all week. Wind direction shifted wildfire smoke away from Athens, so we brought multiplication and division outdoors.
Math began with a preview of Andy Goldsworthy's art. We discussed the environmental impact and process of searching for natural materials such as sticks, leaves and rocks versus buying stretched canvas, brushes and tubes of paint that ultimately end up in a landfill.
Channeling Goldsworthy, young mathematicians searched for just the right natural objects for their arrays.
Louisa's eyes gravitated toward delicate pink petals in the art garden.
Vibrant red, orange and yellow hues became ephemeral arrays along a stretch of sidewalk next to the soccer field.
Tyler got down close while writing multiplication and division equations.
Were the acorns atop the leaves a stylistic decision? Or do they play a more utilitarian role, anchoring the leaves during wind gusts?
Milo preferred pinecones to leaves and acorns.
Nylah found a sunny spot for her 2x5 acorn array.
Claren's aesthetic eye caught an array of mosaic tile outside the media center.
Oren's acorn array stretched out alongside the butterfly garden.
Sabine discovered some curiously wrinkled leaves.
“Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.”
-Maria Montessori
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