• plastic bags of colored paper shapes
• grid paper
• duplicated quilt patterns

ITV Series

Math Works, Segment 5, "Real Life Applications"

Previewing Activities

Display objects that are composed of several geometric shapes, such as flags composed of various shapes within a larger rectangle. Quilts are made of geometric shapes joined to make blocks, too. Help students to identify items in the room that can be broken into smaller geometric shapes. More examples include panes within windows and a rectangular "chalkboard" on a rectangular wall.

Focus for Viewing

To give students a specific task as they view, ask them to listen for the following words: rectangle, horizontal, dimension, architect. Define these terms as necessary. Then direct students to listen for an explanation of the kind of work landscape architects do. How do they use geometric shapes in their work?

Viewing Activities

Begin viewing at the end of the first segment where the boy holding a camera says, "No more kid stuff for me, all grown up...." This is followed with shots of buildings and shapes in architecture. Stop when the commentator holding the "6" box appears.

Encourage students to notice the architecture of their school building during the rest of the day. Are there some shapes that they should expect to see more frequently? (usually squares and rectangles) Tell them to make an extra effort to find unusual shapes, like triangles, circles, octagons.

Fast forward the video to where viewers meet a young woman who describes her job. Tell students to listen for the name of her profession. This portion shows a landscape architect designing a playground by identifying the basic geometric shapes of the play equipment and developing a plan using those shapes.

Fast forward to the segment with the children on the playground. Pause the video as the architect, showing the playground, says, "From a two-dimensional plan, we will get a three-dimensional form." Allow students to use a dry erase marker to outline the shapes they see on the playground.

Start the video and continue until the end of this segment when the architect explains that you need a plan to build something. Stop after this segment.

Post-Viewing Activities

Discuss the profession of landscape architecture. Have students describe the work the architect was doing. Are arranging shapes in a pleasing fashion important to her work? What would happen on a playground if there was no plan to the arrangement? How does using a plan help her to complete the project?

Display a quilt. Have students identify the geometric shapes within the quilt blocks. What would happen if the "quilter" didn't follow the pattern? Give each child a pattern, sheet of grid paper, and bag of colored shapes. Have children recreate a quilt block by following the pattern. Students will count the points on the grid to determine perimeter.

Action Plan

1. Combine quilt squares to make a quilt wall hanging.

2. Draw a floor plan for their classroom.

3. Draw a landscape plan for a garden or a playground using basic shapes.

Extensions

Language Arts: Select and read a "quilt" story from the bibliography on page 69.

History: Research the history of the American quilt. How do the names of the various quilt patterns relate to our history?

View the "The Patchwork Quilt" (lesson 22) from the Reading Rainbow series and discuss family heirlooms.

Art: Create an original quilt pattern. How does changing the colors of the shapes used to construct the quilt change its appearance? How does the use of lights and darks create a three-dimensional effect.

Math: Recreate the quilt patterns using geo-boards and colored rubber bands. Count the pegs around each shape to calculate perimeter.

Internet: To teach students more about the history of quilts have them visit—

The Florida Quilt Collection

The Library of Congress American Memory Historical Collections focuses on two quilt collections, which include 229 photographs and 181 recorded interviews with quilt makers in Appalachian North Carolina and Virginia.

1. Cobb, Mary. The quilt-block history of pioneer days with projects kids can make. Brookfield, Conn.: Millbrook Press, c1995. This brightly illustrated book shows how traditional American quilt-block designs tell the story of pioneer days.

2. Coerr, Eleanor. The Josefina story quilt. 1st ed. New York: Harper & Row, c1986. While traveling west with her family in 1850, a young girl makes a patchwork quilt chronicling the experiences of the journey and reserves a special patch for her pet hen Josefina.

3. Ernst, Lisa Campbell. Sam Johnson and the blue ribbon quilt. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, c.1983. While mending the awning over the pig pen, Sam discovers that he enjoys sewing the various patches together but meets with scorn and ridicule when he asks his wife if he could join her quilting club.

4. Flourney, Valerie. The patchwork quilt. 1st ed. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, c1985. Using scraps cut from the family's old clothing, Tanya helps her grandmother and mother make a beautiful quilt that tells the story of her family's life.

5. Hopkinson, Deborah. Sweet Clara and the freedom quilt. New York: Knopf : Distributed by Random House, c1993. A young slave stitches a quilt with a map pattern which guides her to freedom in the North.

6. Johnston, Tony. The quilt story. New York: Putnam, c1985. A pioneer mother lovingly stitches a beautiful quilt which warms her daughter Abigail.

7. Jonas, Ann. The quilt. New York Penguin Books USA Inc., c1984. A child's new patchwork quilt recalls old memories and provides new adventures at bedtime.

8. Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie. The Canada geese quilt. New York: Cobblehill/Dutton, c1989. Worried that the coming of a new baby and her grandmother's serious illness will change the familiar life on her family's Vermont farm, ten-year-old Ariel makes a very special quilt.

9. Polacco, Patricia. The keeping quilt. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, c1988. A homemade quilt ties together the lives of four generations of an immigrant Jewish family, remaining a symbol of their enduring love and faith.

10. Ringgold, Faith. Tar beach. New York : Crown Publishers, Inc. c1991.A young girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home, claiming all she sees for herself and her family.

11. Sherrow, Victoria. Huskings, quiltings, and barn raisings. New York : Walker and Company, c1992. Surveys the history of husking bees, barn raisings, soap boilings, and other American work-play parties, in which people in colonial and pioneer days came together to help one another while having fun.

12. Smucker, Barbara. Selina and the bear paw quilt. New York : Crown, c1995. When her Mennonite family moves to Upper Canada to avoid involvement in the Civil War, young Selina is given a special quilt to remember her grandmother.

13. Sommer, Elyse. A patchwork, applique, and quilting primer. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., c1975. Basic instructions for developing skills in patchwork, applique and quilting with a number of learn-by-doing projects for each technique.