Week 5: Tell a Tale (or comic)

No matter what grade/age, stories are fun. This week I encourage learners to read and write math stories. Take a concept and illustrate it through the art of story. Write comics, picture stories, murder mysteries, fantasies, plays, etc. Students can act their story out, create a stop animation, or i

a bird and tree fractal make with photography composites
a bird and tree fractal make with photography composites

No matter what grade/age, stories are fun. This week I encourage learners to read and write math stories. Take a concept and illustrate it through the art of story. Write comics, picture stories, murder mysteries, fantasies, plays, etc. Students can act their story out, create a stop animation, or illustrate. I often encourage learners to write about a concept they love or think they can teach.

Learners I have worked with have enjoyed sharing their stories with each other and friends. Encourage this through a google classroom, open mic, etc.

Some fun ideas if you come up blank:

  • Powers of 2 – the magic of multiplying (like in Demi’s One Grain of Rice)
  • The algorithm for long division as steps to a mystery or spy mission
  • A solar system of various Euclidian Solids
  • A geometrical mission through space with specific angle requirements
  • The route inspection problem – what is the shortest path for the mail to get delivered with a specific layout of houses?
  • Comics on how to learn or do concepts in math
  • Mystery characters that emulate mathematical properties (Logical Lucas, Divisive Desi, Manipulative Mike, etc)
  • Super heroes that have mathematical powers and must solve mathematical problems
  • Fractals – Create a world, character or story that is iterative and infinite