On Friday 30 May 2008 9:02:07 pm Joe Apuzzo wrote:
But does anyone have any suggestions for math and science? aka something that I can build on the fly and show a topic that a Middle School or High School teacher would do in class?
Attached are two ideas that can be initiated in Squeak.
In Vibrations, the cockroach moves around in circles while the spring moves up and down. Record the cockroach's y variation and then that of the spring. Once the similarity sinks in, record the sum of both offsets.
Seed Growth illustrates tree structures may grow out of small seeds by applying simple rules repeatedly at various levels. Environmental causes like sunlight, rain, insects can introduce growth variations.
Architecture follows up on the growth story. The sequence 1,2,3,4 is one-dimensional while 1,2,2^2, 3^2 is two dimensional and then there are structures which grow in fractions - 1, 2^1.58, 3^1.58.
Followups on periodicity, symmetry and self-similarity could involve studying trees, human bronchii, African hairstyles and village layouts, Indian kolams and mehendi designs.
Subbu