Most of you got to see the video of Robert Lang talking about origami on Friday before the mid-winter break. There were several things about his talk that I found very interesting, even beyond the mere fact of what he is able to create with origami. These relate to our study of math because they address what we call "the process strands". There are 10 standards that the National Council of the Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has laid out and that we try to meet in math class; 5 content strands and 5 process strands. You are probably familiar with the content strands which are:
- Number and Operations
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Measurement
- Data Analysis and Probability
We are focused mostly on Algebra in our class but touch on all of the others at various times. What I really want to get across is the importance of the other 5 strands, those "process" strands. In many ways these are even more important than content strands because they are the "real life" skills that math is supposed to be all about. They are:
- Problem Solving
- Reasoning and Proof
- Communication
- Connections
- Representation
Now what came up in that origami video was that he touched on all 5 of these process strands and I'm wondering if you are able to see how that is?
If you would like to see the video again, here is the link:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/robert_lang_folds_way_new_origami.html
it's only 15 minutes long but I think it deserves more than one look.
Another thing that I found interesting was how Robert Lang simply stated that math was capable of taking things up another notch because it looked at the underlaying principles of origami. This is true of so many things I can't even begin to emphasize the importance of that thought. And lastly, I loved the way he said that we can use the work of dead people to make things easier for ourselves because I've said some similar things about how we are studying solutions to old problems in order to help us find solutions to our problems. There is a saying, "We stand on the shoulders of giants."
Its weird how you can make anything by packing circles. Its also disturbing how origami got a satellite into space, maybe a telescope, and even saved a life. By packing circles and a little math it seems that anything can be made.
ReplyDeleteI think Robert Lang uses problem solving when he figures out how to create new and exciting origami shapes. He has to figure out how to fold it in different ways to create new shapes.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Mr. Lang uses reasoning and proof in making origami; there's one way to do it and i don't think he needs "proof" of anything having to do with origami.
He uses communication in his work by communicating with the others in his field and sharing their discoveries.
He must have many connections to be doing the work he is doing, he needs to be connected to other origami artists in order to create new pieces. He also needs connections to dead people so he can learn from what they worked on and see how they used to do things.
He uses representation in the folds and complicated patterns of the origami. Each step represents something.
Mr. Robert Lang uses his origami art to learn and teach math in a way most people don't usually think about.
How he adressed data analysis and probability is when you fold you can use two-colorablity meaning u can use two colors to fill in any crease patteren without any of the colors touching. Algebra was adressed by mountain-valley folds counting. The mountain-valley equation is M-V=+or- 2. Measurement showed by the rule that alternating angles around a vortex sum to a straight line. Geometry was added in by the way of making flaps.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Mr.Treistman's comments on the origami views. I really liked how people out there are really thinking to create genius combinations of math and origami. And Robert Lang is really smart for not just being blunt and saying "origami and math" but he includes all these other concepts that really makes it interesting. I like how Mr.Treistman applied the math areas to life skills. It shows how important math really is in today's modern society.
ReplyDeleteOrigami can be used in alot of things. It was used to solve problems and we used it for space. In origami you use the angles to fold things. You can solve problems and look at things a differnt way by origami. He does basically use all the math concepts by origami
ReplyDeleteto be honest this video was to complicated for me. not only that but i find that lectures make me want to fall asleep (Zzzzzzzzzzz...). you ask the question "he touched on all 5 of these content strands and I'm wondering if you are able to see how that is?". My answer is no. i didn't see how oragami relates to Problem Solving, Reasoning and Proof, Communication, Connections, Representation. i didn't understand the whole concept of this video.
ReplyDeleteI am with Victoria on this one. This was a very complicated movie to understand for the first time. If i watched it over and over again i might get the meaning of it all. . . .no offense but it was making me drift off a bit. But, I did learn that origami is used for many things including math and many other things out of the ordinary. The part that really kept me awake was when Robert Lang showed us, that you can make all sorts different animals, and where you can get the instuctions to make them. I thought this was a very complicated, but extravagant video. -Peace
ReplyDeleteYou have to use problem solving to figure out the patterns for the origami will looks like and how to fold it and everything.
ReplyDeleteI can't really think of a way that he used the proof part, but you have to reason out how you were going to put the circles for the fold pattern.
Robert Lang communicates his discoveries by telling people about what he's discovered, like in the lecture.
He has to be connected to other people so he can see how they do things and get ideas from them.
Each step and the fold pattern and everything represents something.
Robert Lang used Number and Operation to add up the angles to make one srait line. He used Algebra by making the equation to find out the mountains and valleys in a crease pattern. He used Geometry when he folded up the "eyeglass" telescope's lense by making the big lense smaller. Also, he used Measurement to make a 100 meter lense to only a few meters long. Lastly he used Data Anlysis and Probability to make the computer program to make the base for different origami shapes and animals.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this video and it made me think how something so simple, like folding paper, could lead to something we could use in real life. Like, to unclog a arterie.
Problem solving is definitely used to create origami. Figuring out how to fold the shapes is an example of problem solving. I don't see how you can use communication in the actual folding, but you can definitely communicate your technique with others. Representations are not really a part of origami, I think. I don't think you can use representation in folding, but you could fold paper to represent something. I don't see any proof in origami folding. Robert Lang connected with other people many times. He connects with people when he needs help, and when he has figured something out. I was really impressed with this movie, and the things people can do with origami.
ReplyDeleteIm amazed at how many things can be accomplished when you just use math and put in a little effort. Robert Lang made a software that told you exactly how to fold a square piece of paper and make it into a complicated piece of art. Of course math was used, computers dont really think, they run on equations and sequences of numbers 0 and 1. Some how all those 0's and 1's made a piece of art, and that is impressive! He definitley used things like problem solving to make the computer software work ;).
ReplyDeleteI thought it was impressive that so many folds could be incorporated into one piece of paper. While its obvious that a geometric figure would require math, before watching this video I wouldn't have thought that the origami animals were based on mathematical rules. The practical applications, like the airbag and the medical stent were a fascinating use of what was originally an ornamental craft. My favorite example of creativity with a square of paper was the piece with two praying mantids appropriately named "snack time."
ReplyDeleteRobert Lang used the measurements to make the angles. When you fold a piece of paper each steps you do represents a figure. You can make something that has lots of details in it by packing circles. He needs to use reasoning and proof to see how they use it and how they do.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting that you can use oragami for lots of things like that solar thing that was put into space. They have also found other things to use oragami for.
ReplyDeleteOrigami was very complicated to begin with. Origami makes larger things into smaller more efficient objects. For the space project in the video even though they use origami they would have to break the glass into small parts. glass isnt a material that you can break and just put back together unless you melt it. Complicated origami is too tough on a average brain.
ReplyDeleteAll of the concepts mentioned above definitely apply to origami. Algebra, geometry, measurement, numbers and operations, and data analysis and probability are definitely used to figure out the crease patterns in all of the shapes made from origami. It's a very complicated process and you need all of these tools to determine the crease patterns and how to create the shapes. Problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections, and representation are also very important in this process to tell other people about your discoveries so that they can be recreated and not forgotten. Problem solving is used to figure out crease patterns as well as the other five concepts mentioned before. Reasoning and proof, communication, connections, and representation are all used to tell other people about discoveries and new patterns created so that they are not forgotten. Origami is very important in our lives. It can help us make new discoveries, help us with transportation, and even save lives. Origami is a very complicating and amazing thing.
ReplyDeleteI think that it was amazing how he could program the origami designs into the computer. Also how origami patterns were used on things other than paper. It just show that some of the really high technology is actually quite simple. I thought the video was very educational
ReplyDeleteThat was super duper cool. Not really though. But i didn't know origami could be used with so many things. I love origami but i never really knew it used so much math like geometry and algebra. And to think something so big can be made into something so small is amazing. I liked this video, Ive never really taken math seriously becuase i thought it was useless. But obviously it isn't.
ReplyDelete"A!" oh man that video was tight.I did not know those things about origami. I didn't know that you can make so many things out of just paper. like omg
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I think that it is very interesting that this guy has found a equation and uses math to do origami. I hope that this can help for future problems.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very interesting how origami can be used for so many different things such as healthcare, scince and space shuttles. And I think that these equasions for origami to im prove or modern world.
ReplyDeleteI don't really think that math goes with most of these subjects. And if math made sence math would be easy.
ReplyDeleteI think that origami can be used to inspire some of the world's greatest architecture and designs. For example, scientists used origami to assist in helping a spacecraft successfully get into space. It also is used to create some of the most ingenious shapes that can be applied to practical math and science in our world. I think origami is agreat resource created by the mathematicians who came before us.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I had NO idea that origami was used in so many different ways. I believe that in the future origami will be used for more things then we ever imagined. Like how they made the spaceship successful through origami! Who knows what we could do. Like transporting things from farther places and making the carbon footprint smaller! :D
ReplyDeleteI didn't really understand the concept of the video at first, but I do now. The fact that origami can be used for so many things is really cool. I would have never thought of origami to be that useful. Makes me think of how useful something as simple as folding paper can be.
ReplyDeleteI thought this guy was pretty cool. I found the ogagami interesting and how there was a mathimatical equation for folding paper. I thought oragami was just folded paper. It is actually art. Some of the pieces I saw were amazing.
ReplyDeleteI think it is weird that you can create anything by packing circles. Also I didn't know that origami has so much math in it.
ReplyDeleteOrigami can be useful and be made in many ways. It’s used to solve problems and we use it for space such things like houses, schools, tall buildings, and etc. Although I didn’t really pay attention but I know that origami can be very artistic of the designs and the shapes and these shapes can help others. What I think is that origami can inspire the world. This is the best thing of origami.
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