Family Math Returns!

Posted on February 22, 2012 by larry

Family Math Club of Ithaca is back! As before, we plan to have a guest speaker present a different math topic every week. Topics include math crafts, math puzzles, and math games. We are also hosting free workshops after club meetings, beginning with a Scratch Programming Workshop. (Please register for the workshop; club meetings don’t require advance registration.) We’ll hold club meetings on most Saturdays from 3pm to 4pm at the Quaker meetinghouse on 120 3rd St (the entrance is at the corner from the street address).

Check our website to confirm event dates (see dates on the side bar of the web page on your right), and sign up for our email list in the upper right corner of our website. Our events are most appreciated by children ages 8-12 but everyone is welcome. For more information, or if you have a presentation idea, contact Ken at familymathclubofithaca@gmail.com.

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May 19th Program – Mathemagic

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Ken

Have you ever wondered how a magic trick works and whether it is math or else that makes the trick magic?  Were you curious to find out more about the trick and the math used to amaze you?  If so, come to the Family Math club’s meeting this Saturday at 3:00 pm. for our presentation on Mathemagic.

Ken Charoenkajonchai will be presenting a collection of fascinating magic tricks and discussing the mathematical concepts and theories used to construct them.  Kids will have great fun, be challenged and intrigued.  They will also have an opportunity to create a stunning magic trick at the end.  The meeting is from 3:00 – 4:00 pm. at the Quaker meetinghouse on 120 3rd St.  Yes, it is FREE, but don’t forget to bring with you a deck of cards if you have one.  All ages are welcome.

We hope to see you there.

Family Math Club of Ithaca (http://familymath.org/)

 

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May 12th Program – Mathematics of Juggling

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Ken
While many people might generally think of juggling as an entertaining performance or a physical exercise, research has shown that there are strong connections between juggling and academic benefits.  What’s more?  It is known that logical and mathematical learners have long been associated with this fun activity.  Scientists and researchers who work with computers and particularly mathematicians have had a reputation of dominating the ranks of jugglers.  Even at well-known companies like Bell Labs, Microsoft, Apple Corporation, they all have long standing juggling clubs.
Whether you are new to or still struggling for juggling or even good at it, come to our Family Math club’s meeting this Sat, May 12th from 3:00 – 4:00 pm at the Quaker meetinghouse on 120 3rd St for our presentation on “Mathematics of Juggling“.  This meeting features a talk and demonstration by Allen Knutson, former world-record juggler and math professor at Cornell University. Bring with you some small soft balls for juggling experiments.  Yes, it is FREE. We hope to see you there.
Family Math Club of Ithaca
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May 5th Program – Fun Math and Puzzle Activities

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Ken

Solving math puzzles and playing math games are a wonderful and creative way of learning math.  If the activities are fun, they can engage children to think critically and help them develop interests for math.  This Saturday, May 5th, the Family Math club features fun math and puzzle activities.  We have games and puzzles for parents and children to try and enjoy.  Come to learn about fractal paper sculptures, dodecahedron calendars, the hexaflexagon – a paper toy that is fun to flex, and more!

Larry Clarkberg and Ken Charoenkajonchai will be conducting the activities.   Come to the Quaker meetinghouse on 120 3rd St at 3:00 pm on Saturday, and feel free to bring any math puzzles you have.  We hope to see you there.

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Next Club Meeting and Scratch Workshop on May 5th

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Ken

We will post the information about our next program meeting soon.

As always, our Scratch workshop will be after each club meeting.  The club meeting dates are on the side bar on your right.  We will have club meetings and Scratch Programming workshops on the Saturdays of May 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th.

 

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April 14th Program – Solving Rubik’s Cube

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Ken
Our April 14th Family Math Club meeting will be featuring a presentation about solving Rubik cube problems.   The Rubik’s cube is a mechanical 3D puzzle, invented more than 30 years ago by Erno Rubik, and the cube is the best selling toy at all times! Yet, solving the Rubik’s Cube is considered an almost impossible task, which requires an IQ of 160… Is it really so hard?  Definitely not!!
Our guest presenter for this week, Oliver Habicht, will be demonstrating steps towards solving the Rubik’s cube that are easy for kids to follow, as well as coaching attendees towards creative and intuitive solutions to problems related to the puzzle.  Come to the Quaker meetinghouse on 120 3rd St at3:00 pm on Saturday with your Rubik cube.  If you do not have one, it is fine.  We have some Rubik cubes for you to share and play with, so join us and have some fun!
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Sign Up for Our Scratch Workshop

Posted on March 7, 2012 by larry

You may have heard of Scratch, the programming language for kids developed at MIT. If not, take a look at the Scratch website. Family Math is offering a six-week Scratch Workshop starting on Saturday March 31st. See this web page for more information. Registration is required. Note that the workshop is in addition to (and right after) the regular Family Math Club gatherings (which do not require registration).

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