#34 Extend and Connect
Extend and Connect
You can find iconic quantities as key elements in fiction, such as “Three Billy Goats Gruff” or “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Children will also love scientific or engineering stories about iconic quantities. For example, two eyes are required for binocular vision, which helps the survival of animals. The three legs of a tripod is a minimum number for stable inanimate objects, while creatures (or robots) who move to keep their balance can stand on two legs.
Ponder why so many things in fairy tales, myths, and jokes come in threes and sevens. After building a large collection of examples, ask children to think about it for a few days. Write down all their ideas and explore mathematics behind them. For example, three is the first natural number that people consider “many” – with sayings in many languages such as “three is a crowd.” Seven is the first prime number beyond the subitizing range. You can’t split seven into equal groups, so it seems challenging and even mysterious. Don’t rush these investigations all at once, but pay more attention to numbers in stories and sayings.
Explore iconic quantities through music and dance. Can two stand for polka, three for waltz, four for blues, because their time signatures are 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4? How about quantities in musical intervals, harmonies, and chords?
