Myths and Legends Shed.
There are some brilliant myths and legends and many of these have opportunities for maths work. Here are a collection of videos and resources linked to some brilliant stories.
Theseus and the Minotaur
This is a great starting point for teaching myths and legends but it also has some really good links with maths.
| theseusandtheminotaur.pdf |
This brilliant comic strip version of Theseus and the Minotaur come from the http://greekmythcomix.wordpress.com/
Please visit it and look at the great free resources available.
Please visit it and look at the great free resources available.
| 1276_ccp_maze_ks2_activity_1_marble_maze.pdf |
I love this idea, make a maze using a cereal box. Covers shape and space, position and movement.
| 1278_ccp_maze_ks2_activity_3_design_activity.pdf |
Not as exciting as making a cereal box maze but still great for thinking about shapes and patterns to make the best, most challenging maze.
| 1282_ccp_maze_ks2_activity_7_irregular_shapes.pdf |
These activities based on Carnfunnock maze look at shape and size, they also look at scale and perimeter. Looking at the size of this maze could students start to think about the size of the Minotaur Maze, how big would it have been. Can they draw it to scale. Below is a graphic of what the maze may have looked like.
Ariadnes String.
| worksheet_ariadnes_string.pdf |
7.1 The Activity
Theseus goes into the labyrinth to slay the minotaur. He takes with him Ariadne’s string, so that he
can find his way out since he slays the minotaur. Theseus finally ends up in room with columns (see
worksheets) and to slay the minotaur he must start at a particular column and wind the string from
column to column. Each line segment he create (as defined by the string not making a corner) must be
longer than the previous line segment. The more segments he is able to make, the better his chances are
to slay the minotaur.
If Theseus does this in less than 8 steps, he is killed the minotaur. If he gets there in 8 steps, he kills
the minotaur, but he is mortally wounded in the process. If he gets there in more than 8 steps, he kills
the minotaur and gets the girl.
Start with the 5 × 5 problem and make it more complicated by moving to a 6 × 6, 7 × 7 or 8 × 8 grid
The video below will help to explain it better.
Theseus goes into the labyrinth to slay the minotaur. He takes with him Ariadne’s string, so that he
can find his way out since he slays the minotaur. Theseus finally ends up in room with columns (see
worksheets) and to slay the minotaur he must start at a particular column and wind the string from
column to column. Each line segment he create (as defined by the string not making a corner) must be
longer than the previous line segment. The more segments he is able to make, the better his chances are
to slay the minotaur.
If Theseus does this in less than 8 steps, he is killed the minotaur. If he gets there in 8 steps, he kills
the minotaur, but he is mortally wounded in the process. If he gets there in more than 8 steps, he kills
the minotaur and gets the girl.
Start with the 5 × 5 problem and make it more complicated by moving to a 6 × 6, 7 × 7 or 8 × 8 grid
The video below will help to explain it better.
| ancient_greece_activity_booklet.pdf |
Not solely Numeracy I am afraid, but page 4 of this workbook has some maths problems using Greek numerals, page 5 has a blank grid so that you can make your own Snakes and Ladders game, using Greek numerals.
Greek Architecture.
Greek architecture has masses of links with maths. You could look at:
Shape - what shapes can you see in the buildings? Why do you think the Greeks used these shapes?
Symmetry - Can you find any lines of symmetry in these buildings?
Measuring - How tall / wide do you think these buildings are? What is their perimeter? Draw a plan of the building. How many right angles can you see?
Create your own Ancient Greek building.
Shape - what shapes can you see in the buildings? Why do you think the Greeks used these shapes?
Symmetry - Can you find any lines of symmetry in these buildings?
Measuring - How tall / wide do you think these buildings are? What is their perimeter? Draw a plan of the building. How many right angles can you see?
Create your own Ancient Greek building.
Theseus and the Minotaur Minecraft
This story lends itself really well to Minecraft, several people have already recreated the story and have posted on Youtube. Children could design their mazes then make then, here is a video with a demo of what can be done.
If making just a maze is not a big enough challenge for you, why not go the whole hog and create Greek architecture (use the pictures above as a starting point) or has several brave souls have done, a complete Ancient Greek city. The videos below demonstrate making one building and for the brave amongst you, the second video shows a timelapse of an entire city.
For those without access to I-pads and Minecraft, good old fashioned Lego could be used as shown in the pictures below.
Click to set custom HTML
How the Ancient Greeks Shaped Maths.
This short animation gives a very concise explanation of how the Greeks helped to shape the maths that we use today.
Daedalus and Icarus
Daedelus and Icarus links nicely with Theseus and the Minotaur as it was Daedelus who created the labyrinth which held the monster. Above is the story of Daedelus and Icarus.
Saving Daedalus and Icarus
4.1 The Activity
King Minos has just imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus in a high tower. Daedalus was implicated in
the murder of the Minotaur, who happened to be King Mino’s son.
Daedalus invents a way to escape. He and Icarus gather bee’s wax and birds feathers to make wings
to fly off the tower. The night before the flight, Icarus has a dream:
He write a number on a rock, and he throws the rock off the tower. If the number on the rock
is even, then it is halved. If the number on the rock is odd, then its tripled and one is added.
Icarus continues this and if he ends up with 1 then he crashes into the sea.
Icarus knows that if he can do this and end up with something other than 1, then he will survive.
Daedalus has a similar dream, with one difference. For Daedalus, if the number is odd, then Daedalus
triples the number and subtracts one. If Daedalus eventually ends up with 1, then he too crashes into the
sea.
The task is to save Icarus and Daedalus.
104.2 The Mathematical Problem
The Collatz conjecture was first proposed by Lothar Collatz in 1937. It is unknown if the sequence for
Icarus above must always end in a 1.
4.3 More Details and More Ideas
1. There are several cycles that will save Daedalus (find them!) but it is conjectured that Icarus cannot
be saved.
Watch the video above for examples of how this can be done with your children.
King Minos has just imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus in a high tower. Daedalus was implicated in
the murder of the Minotaur, who happened to be King Mino’s son.
Daedalus invents a way to escape. He and Icarus gather bee’s wax and birds feathers to make wings
to fly off the tower. The night before the flight, Icarus has a dream:
He write a number on a rock, and he throws the rock off the tower. If the number on the rock
is even, then it is halved. If the number on the rock is odd, then its tripled and one is added.
Icarus continues this and if he ends up with 1 then he crashes into the sea.
Icarus knows that if he can do this and end up with something other than 1, then he will survive.
Daedalus has a similar dream, with one difference. For Daedalus, if the number is odd, then Daedalus
triples the number and subtracts one. If Daedalus eventually ends up with 1, then he too crashes into the
sea.
The task is to save Icarus and Daedalus.
104.2 The Mathematical Problem
The Collatz conjecture was first proposed by Lothar Collatz in 1937. It is unknown if the sequence for
Icarus above must always end in a 1.
4.3 More Details and More Ideas
1. There are several cycles that will save Daedalus (find them!) but it is conjectured that Icarus cannot
be saved.
Watch the video above for examples of how this can be done with your children.
The Fall of Icarus.
This beautiful painting by Bruegel has several talking points for maths.
Where is Icarus?
How many sheep/boats are in the picture?
If the shepherd is looking North, from which direction is the wind blowing from?
What time of day do you think it is?
What shapes can you see in the picture?
More of a Literacy question, but what do you think lives in the cave in the sea?
Where is Icarus?
How many sheep/boats are in the picture?
If the shepherd is looking North, from which direction is the wind blowing from?
What time of day do you think it is?
What shapes can you see in the picture?
More of a Literacy question, but what do you think lives in the cave in the sea?
Greek Myths Top Trumps.
| greek_myths_top_trumps_isaac_1.doc |
These Trojan and Greek battle stats are great for looking at data, you could look at the different criteria and ask:
Who wounded the most people?
Who was the most lethal killer?
Whos victim was asleep?
You could use the criteria to look at who: The infographic below has the answers to these.
Had the most kills?
Who was the most consistent?
Most bloodthirsty?
Sneakiest?
Most useless killer?
Who wounded the most people?
Who was the most lethal killer?
Whos victim was asleep?
You could use the criteria to look at who: The infographic below has the answers to these.
Had the most kills?
Who was the most consistent?
Most bloodthirsty?
Sneakiest?
Most useless killer?
