Origami as Mathematical Art

With a goal to bring mathematics closer to the students and make them recognize the knowledge gained from studying mathematics in the simple things that surround us, students should be encouraged to produce simple and interesting objects by utilizing their knowledge and at the same time have fun.

As part of the extracurricular mathematics activities in the Primary School ‘Sando Masev’, Strumica, the mathematics teacher – Gordana Andonova together with her students came up with an idea to begin a project activity where they would apply an innovative approach to studying mathematics, as well as connect mathematics to everyday life.

”An additional motive for us, members of the sixth grade extracurricular mathematics club, was the desire to be humane and to participate in a humanitarian action – Humanity fair, organized by the employees and students from primary school Sando Masev, which took place at the Home of the Army of Republic of Macedonia in Strumica on 28.12.2010. The beginning was the hardest because we didn’t have a specific idea for a project and final product, and we were also contemplating whether we could find a connection with the study topics we were covering at the moment. It was before the Christmas and New Year holidays, so we thought about incorporating them in the activities. In the end, we suggested it was a great idea to produce New Year decorations from paper. That is how we began the project ‘Origami’, together with Gordana, our Math teacher” – said one of the members of the group.
The teacher explained that 25 students from all 5 sixth grade classes joined the project. The group worked for three weeks and met three times a week.
                                                                                              
During a total of 10 gatherings, the students prepared New Year decorations only by folding paper, by forming, analyzing and highlighting the triangular geometric shape, that they studied in the curriculum topic Triangle and parallel lines. The project used only materials that could easily be found at home, in order to avoid additional expenditures from the school and home budget.
It was interesting to see students working in teams with great interest, how they were creative, thought quickly, identified properties, types of triangles, heights and parallel sides, folded, colored, decorated and studied in a pleasant and relaxed working atmosphere.

“The project’s presentation to the public during the Humanity fair in Strumica was more than successful. The compilation of 130 New Year decorations produced by the students was wonderful. Each one of the decorations was constructed precisely and with detail, full of child’s fantasy and skill and most importantly – filled with love towards mathematics. Attendance at the young mathematicians section of the fair was huge. Almost every visitor purchased an origami decoration. Even the visitors who were observing from far were drawn and interested in how the origamis were created”, said teacher Gordana Andonova.

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