Mathematics with Polydron

Polydron is a system of strong, colourful shapes capable of being fitted together to make nets of shapes that can be folded to make a 3D models. Mathematics with Polydron describes thirty six activities, in seven sections, designed to promote exploration and creativity as a vehicle for understanding. Each activity details the materials required, the mathematical opportunity the activity affords, language opportunities and hints, ideas and extensions in addition to describing the activity.

Working in Two Dimensions investigates polygrams, tessellations, isosceles triangles and right-angles triangles.

Regular Solids investigates prisms and antiprisms, platonic solids, rings and dishes and Archimedean solids.

Investigating Solids explores unfolding a cube, pyramids, convex deltahedra, isosceles triangles and right-angled triangles.

Developing Reasoning contains four investigations:

• Build and balance - making 3D L-shapes from cubes and predicting which shapes will balance on one face
• Logi-solids – students build the required cube by following a set of clues
• Red and blue - students build the required shapes using only blue and red tiles
• Minimum colours – students make shapes using the minimum number of different colours where no two adjacent tiles are the same colour

Developing Imagery has four activities all designed to develop the ability to conjure up images and function in a mathematical way with them.

Developing Algebra contains four activities which lend themselves to promoting work with algebra.

Extending Your Ideas contains three more demanding activities.

The book concludes with a glossary and list of useful reading.