Fractal Finders-- Fractals are SMART: Science, Math and Art

This class is designed as a flexible, intensive class for 9-12 year olds. We will use the online course from the Fractal Foundation to see that fractals are SMART: Science, Math and Art. The materials are designed at a high school level, but are highly adaptable and interactive.  We will go through this material together, at a pace adapted to the group. Everyone will learn!  We will meet live at least once a week, but have the option of several times to accommodate learners from different time zones, and may organize extra “field trip” times to try doing sound walks at the same time in different places. 

Each student will keep two notebooks, one “real” notebook made of durable paper that can be taken outside,  and one “virtual” notebook, on an IPod, smartphone or tablet with a protective cover to allow them to be taken outside to make recordings and take photos or videos.  The iNaturalist app will allow students to participate in Citizen Science documenting the species they encounter with their virtual notebook. Each learner will then record their observations in whatever way most suits them. Examples might be: drawings, words, numbers, collections of leaves, images, or sound recordings.   

Each week, everyone will share a fractal they found with the group, and post it to the classroom.  The postings can be as simple as a description in words, or a picture of a notebook sketch, or as elaborate as a video of a song, or a bat recording. As a group, we will explore how things we observe connect to the processes that created them, whether they are in our home communities, on the internet, in books, or however we might find out about them.  

We will reserve a time slot on Wednesdays for Workshops. This will be a companion Ongoing class that will meet at the beginning and end of the class, and anytime a class member proposes in between.  I will encourage students to propose ateliers they will present to the others… these can be on any topic, from crafts to sharing a video they found that has fractals in it.   I will also encourage all the students to attend the workshops led by their peers!

During the class, we will also be making and documenting our own fractals in a variety of ways.  Learners should have paper, scissors, markers, tape, and glue-sticks to participate, along with their notebooks.  Optional supplies like ice, food colouring, microscopes, large clear glass jars, tinfoil, or other specialty items (e.g.  Mentos and Diet Coke, eggs) will allow learners to actively do the experiments I will demonstrate.