Music Is Math!
Math is often looked at as the antithesis of the arts. We think of math and science on one side and language arts, performing arts, and fine arts on the other. We might think of people as either the creative type who enjoy literature and the arts or the logical type who like math and science. This is simply not true! Those who are really gifted in math have an immensely creative mind. I would like to encourage parents to reflect on their own attitudes regarding math before they project a negative one on their children. The truth is, that most people do not like math or feel confident in it. That is unfortunate because math is actually great fun and is in fact strongly connected to the arts. You do not have to be a creative or a mathematician. If you are an artist or a musician you are also a mathematician!
Music and Math
If we think about geometric concepts like symmetry and congruence we can easily make a connection to the fine arts. What many people don’t realize is the strong link between music and math. The rhythm, beat, scales, notes, frequencies, octaves can all be measured with numerical formulas. Fractions, multiplication, division- these are all inherent in music composition. This connection was studied by Pythagorus. Even Einstein would play music when he was stuck on a math problem.
Keep Playing!
When our kids perform music, they are practicing one to one correspondence, keeping time and patterns- all mathematical concepts. They are also strengthening parts of their brain needed for mathematical reasoning.
The Homeschool Advantage
One way our schools are doing kids a disservice is by how the emphasis is on academics alone with the arts and other areas being marginalized or completely cut out. As a homeschooler you have the ability to ensure the arts get as strong a focus as academic studies and you have the sense to see how these areas are connected. Strengthening one will strengthen the other especially if you understand the connection yourself and can guide your child in connecting the dots as well.
Of course, it is easy to see how math can be woven into art projects as well. Sometimes, it takes a little creativity to make the connection. Here are some great art activities that involve mathematical concepts that I like to do.
Fraction Art
There are many ways to create art that utilizes fractions. I did it by giving out whole shapes of various colors and telling kids to cut each whole into the fractional unit of their choice. Ex. Cut the blue square into fourths. They then created a design with the cut parts and labeled the fractions on them.
Perimeter Art
For this project kids were given perimeter measurements for robot body parts. For example, the arm needed a perimeter of 10 cm. Then they decided what side lengths looked best like 2 and 3 or 4 and 1. They drew the body parts cut them out and assembled a robot. They repeated these steps to create an environment for the robot to live in.
Pattern Blocks
Pattern blocks and tangrams are so fun for creating artistic designs. There are also many templates you can buy or print to fill in with the blocks to help your child see the various possibilities but often our kids are much more creative when we give them total control of their designs.
Magna Tiles
This is a toy that has so many uses but I love how it connects math and art. The geometrical designs reinforce shape names, attributes, solid figures, congruence, spatial reasoning and more!
Tape Paintings
Painters’ tape is really useful for making large paintings or sidewalk chalk designs. Your child can help you create large geometric shapes and then fill them in with paint or chalk. These can create a picture like this turkey (thanks for the idea @busytoddler) or they can simply be designs. Peel the paint off when it is dry and the finished project is really impressive!
Mosaic Drill Design
This is another toy I love for reinforcing geometrical concepts as well as patterns, counting, adding on plus fine motor skills and so much more. The artwork created is interesting and shows our kids that art can be made using various mediums.
Find the Connection!
I hope that this encourages you to spend as much time on the arts as you do academics and to seek out the ways they connect. If my brother, a musician who disliked math, knew how he was actually utilizing math in music composition he would have had a completely different perspective. There are many ways to hook our kids into math and to make them appreciate this amazing subject but our attitude comes first! You have to cultivate the appreciation within yourself, build your own capacity and awareness for math’s many marvelous uses, and then bring that knowledge with you as you guide your child!