ERIC Number: EJ1362040
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0009-4056
EISSN: EISSN-2162-0725
Growth Patterns: Fractals, Fibonacci, and More in the Children's Garden
Geist, Eugene; Jung, Jeesun
Childhood Education, v98 n5 p70-75 2022
Do young children understand the complex mathematics in the petals of a daisy, the Fibonacci sequence in the spiral of a pinecone, the fractal geometry in the leaves of a fern, or the "golden ratio" in the seed pattern of a sunflower? Probably not, but they certainly can observe and recognize the patterns and compare them to similar patterns they find in nature. Starting a school garden offers one of the best opportunities to allow children to interact, observe, share, and eventually even eat the patterns of nature. School gardens provide a context for engaging in emergent mathematics because there is always something new going on in the garden and it is filled with patterns with which children are self-motivated to interact. A school garden offers a year-round investigation of patterns. It gives students the opportunity to observe the changes that take place through the entire seasonal cycle. From seed to first bud to mature plant, patterns are visible in all aspects of the natural world and children can be involved in every part of the process. This article describes how children can engage in mathematical observations and thinking while observing and tending to a garden space throughout the year, concluding with a garden party for families and community members where children plan and prepare food from the garden's bounty.
Descriptors: Gardening, Geometry, Mathematical Concepts, Concept Formation, Mathematics Instruction, Imagination, Teaching Methods, Child Development, Preschool Children
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A