SchoolArts - February 2008

(Plastic lids from coffee cans, margarine containers, and the like are costless ways to obtain shapes for tracing.) When the circles were cut out, students then folded each circle three times, opened it up, and cut it apart on the folds, ending with eight fraction pieces per circle.

This process delighted students, as they saw and experienced the creation of eight identical new shapes from one piece. The fact that this was a math concept was just icing on the cake, as they were actively engaged in the learning process and eager to go further by developing it into art.

Using Shapes to Make Art Each student chose a 12 x 18" ( 30 x 46 cm) colored paper for the background of the fraction birds. We shared a preliminary discussion about the qualities and properties of what makes a bird a bird. Brainstorming ideas and writing them on

a whiteboard helped the children as they began their new works. In addition to the review of beaks, wings, feet and feathers, the young artist’s imaginations were ignited as they realized the possibilities of using fluorescent and metallic papers in their creations.

Students delighted in the creative process with their fractions and made birds ranging from parrots to whimsical, imaginary ones. They shared or traded pieces, resulting in more colorful and fanciful work. Once students arranged the pieces on the background paper and glued them into place, they made use of scrap paper to enliven the area surrounding the bird(s).

No longer restricted to the use of circles and fraction parts, students eagerly added nests, trees, and other details to their work. Some students were so intrigued by making birds from a circular piece of paper that they opted to cut very small circles

and then even fashioned smaller birds. One first grader exclaimed, “I never knew there was math in art. Art is everywhere!”

Our new math specialist was impressed with both the artistic outcome and the fact that the students seemed to have a deeper understanding of fractions and how parts make a whole. She smiled at the young student’s comment, responding: “Math, too, is everywhere!”