Module 3.3 – Project Parabolic!

We have loved exploring maths through an Explorium lens. It makes you realise just how beautiful it can be and we hope we can help you get your child switched on to maths too!

Our first adventure together is going to help you implement a successful project using our Yellowprint and drawing on our Lights On framework. This will help you to realise the power of Lights On Learning using a project we know works well - Project Parabolic.

Eiri was one of our first learners who started with us when we were in the skittle alley. He was age 7 when we did the parabolic curve project with him. This was his final draft and a massive achievement for him as he did have a tendency to avoid anything he thought he might fail at.  He was, quite rightly, very pleased with himself.

There was a wonderful situation where we had a designer come in to look at our space and reimagine it from school hall to creative learning space. I was talking with him and he was talking about creating a curve. Eiri was making an animation with another one of our learners in the same room and piped up 'what do you mean a parabolic curve'. As it turned out the designer meant exactly that! 

So hopefully if we walk you and your child through this project it will give you more insight into the journey you are starting together. It will certainly give you the chance to try on those different hats and use some of our Wired For Learning tools and techniques. It will without doubt also push your child towards their edges. Even if your child already knows what a parabolic curve is then jump straight into our extend section - there are always ways to step beyond our comfort zones if we're up for it.

Download the document - Project Yellowprint - Parabolic Perfect to have as a reference if you need it. 

Introducing Darren, one of our inspiring young creative mentors, to deliver the brief to your child. So get them, and yourself, comfortable in front of the computer and let us get you both started on your first Lights On project...

Now you've got your brief it is time to explore - what ideas come to mind? 

This is what you need to have to hand:

Don't be tempted, at this stage, to 'teach' your child what to do. This will be where you may need to unlearn your role. It can be tempting to think 'how can they do it if they don't know what they are doing?' but we're trying to foster the mentality of discovering and exploring for answers. This also involves knowing what questions to ask! So if your child is asking questions by all means provide the answers but you can always answer with a question that prompts them to think a bit deeper! 

How can I create a curve as straight lines don't bend?

Good question - I wonder if you can use several straight lines together in some way?

Have your Wired For Learning prompt with you to remind you that frustration is ok it is how they deal with it that matters. And of course how you deal with it too! Again it is tempting to stop when your child is starting to get angry or agitated but you need to help them work through that. If they always quit when it gets hard they're developing the wrong habits and engraining a mindset that won't do them any favours as they journey through life. 

Let your child explore first and see what ideas they come up with but then they might need a bit of guidance and facilitation. 

As your child starts to get underway with exploring the parabolic curve your role is to mentor them and test out your own critique skills.  Now I am going to share with you that I initially found it very difficult to critique my own children. I had a tendency to be very honest and blunt with them which made them defensive and so it may also take you some time to learn the art of critiquing as well.

We'll be going into this in detail in the next lesson so you will begin to find your way with it. It is a skill because sometimes we can be tempted to be too kind and not honest enough! I'm a great believer that children know when something isn't quite good enough and so remember the mindset research by Carol Dweck of the importance of focusing our praise on effort not the outcome itself. I would add to that this is important but when they get there and the distance travelled has been a big achievement then it is time to celebrate the end result - but within the context of the hard work they have put in. 

You know by now that we are big fans of talking. So make sure that you and your child have a debrief and that you discuss some of the learning that came up. 

Did they enjoy the challenge? 

Has it made them see maths in a different way?

Where in the real world do they/you think the parabolic curve is used?  Check out Sydney Opera House for instance.

Seb filming a time lapse of him drawing the parabolic curve. As part of our learners documenting their work they often set up our iPads to record films. These can then be uploaded into their digital portfolios and shared with extended family. It also helps them develop their digital skills. So just a reminder to document this process and put it into your child's portfolio.

As with all Lights On Learning - it never ends! So if your child enjoyed exploring parabolic curves take them further, as Seb did in film below by creating a parabolic star. 

No matter what the child we've found time and time again that EVERY child who has come through our doors loves working with their hands and minds together. It is also what we realise our children are starved of within our current school system, so when they come to Explorium they dive straight in and can't get enough of it. So this parabolic curve extension activity is great and is based around the 2 times table. So if, as in the example below, you start coming through the 7 you will go down through 14 hole. Up through 8 and down through 16 and so on. 

We've included a template for this activity so download that and stick it on some cardboard, get a selection of threads, wools or wire and start to create your 2 times table parabolic curve. 

If your child is really getting into it parabolics and you have a sewing machine in the house - we highly recommend this one. We've been surprised how much children; girls and boys, enjoy using a sewing machine. This is also great for their hand-eye co-ordination!