More math games and activities from around the world

174 Pages·2003·6.91 MB·English

by  Claudia Zaslavsky

More Math Games & Activities
fromaround
World
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More Math Games £ Activities
from around the
World
Claudia ZaslavsKy
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Zaslavsky, Claudia.
More math games and activities from around the world / Claudia Zaslavsky.— 1st ed.
p. cm.
Summary: Presents games and other activities from different countries and cultures
that teach a variety of basic mathematical concepts.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1 -55652-501-X
1. Mathematical recreations—Juvenile literature. [1. Mathematical
recreations. 2. Games.] I. Title.
QA95.Z37 2003
793.7'4—dc21
2003004380
Cover design: Mel Kupfer
Individual activities may be reproduced for educational use when the following credit line
is provided on each photocopy:
More Math Games and Activities from Around the World ©2003. Published by Chicago
Review Press, Inc., 800-888-4741.
Reproducing this book in its entirety or for any commercial purpose without written per-
mission of the publisher is prohibited.
© 2003 by Claudia Zaslavsky
All rights reserved
First edition
Published by Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
814 North Franklin Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
ISBN-13: 978-1-55652-501-8
ISBN-10: 1-55652-501-X
Printed in the United States of America
5432
To the people of the world, with my profound wish for
a peaceful tomorrow and bright future for all.
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Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix 3: HOW PEOPLE USE NUMBERS 42
INTRODUCTION xi The Abacus, from Russia 43
A Note to Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers . . . . xi The Abacus, from China 45
A Note to Kids xii The Calendar of the Iroquois of North America . . 47
The Calendar of the Maya, from Mexico
1: THREE-IN-A-ROW GAMES 2 and Central America 49
Nine Holes, from England 4 Signs of the Zodiac, from China 51
Tic-Tac-Toe 8 Wampum, Cocoa Beans, and Pieces of Eight, from
Magic Square Tic-Tac-Toe, from Ancient China . 11 the American Colonies 53
Number Tic-Tac-Toe 13 Beads, Shells, and Gold, from Africa 56
Achi, from Ghana 14 Save Those Cans! from the United States 58
Six Men's Morris, from Italy, Saving the Lives of Children Throughout
France, and England 16 the World 60
Alquerque de Nueve, from Spain 18
Jirig, from Mongolia 21 4: IS THERE A LUCKY NUMBER? 62
Murabaraba, from Lesotho and South Africa ... 23 Thirteen—Lucky or Unlucky?
The Shape of the Game Board 26 from the United States 63
Seven—Lucky or Unlucky?
2: MORE BOARD GAMES 28 from the Ancient World 65
Leopards and Tigers, from Thailand 29 Letters and Numbers, from Europe 68
Lambs and Tigers, from India 31 Magic Squares, from China
Tchuka Ruma, from Indonesia 33 and the Muslim World 70
Little Goat Game, from Sudan 35 Playing with Magic Squares, for Everybody 72
Cow Game, from Sudan 37 Four-by-Four Magic Squares, from Europe . . .. 74
Adi, from Ghana 39 Panmagic Magic Squares 76
5: HOW PEOPLE MEASURE 78 Flags with Stars, from Many Countries 118
Standard Measures, from Ancient Rome 79 Multiplying Five-Pointed Stars 120
Standard Measures, from Ancient Egypt 81 Drawing Stars with One Stroke 122
Log Cabin, from the United States 82 Navajo Weaving, from Native America 124
The Iroquois Longhouse, from New York State Star-Patterned Patchwork Quilts,
and Canada 84 from the United States 127
Panpipes, from South America 86 More Patchwork Quilt Designs 130
Save the Water, for the World 88
8: REPEATED PATTERNS 132
6: PUZZLES WITH DOTS, STRING, AND PAPER STRIPS . . 90 Embroidery, from Hungary 133
Julirde, from West Africa 91 Tessellations—Repeating the Design 135
Bead and String Puzzle, from China Adire Cloth, from Nigeria 138
and West Africa 94 Sashiko Embroidery, from Japan—Part I 140
Möbius Strip Surprises, from Germany 96 Sashiko Embroidery, from Japan—Part II 142
Sand Drawings I: Animal Pictures, Islamic Art, from Spain 143
from Angola, Africa 98 Islamic Art, from Iran (formerly Persia) 146
Sand Drawings II: The Story of Three Villages, Fractal Patterns, from Native North America. . . 148
from Angola 102
Sand Drawings III: Welcome to Our Home, REPRODUCIBLE GRAPH PAPER 150
from India 104 SELECTED ANSWERS 153
BIBLIOGRAPHY 155
7: SYMMETRY AND SIMILARITY OF DESIGNS 106 Books and Articles for Adults 155
Native American Beadwork—Part 1 108 Books for Kids 156
Native American Beadwork—Part II 110 FOR TEACHERS:
Native American Painted Designs 112 Alignment with the National Council of Teachers
Akua Ba Doll, from Ghana 114 of Mathematics 2000 Standards 158
Our Alphabet, from Ancient Rome 116
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I want to thank the many educators and authors who shared their
expertise to make this book possible. Their books and articles are
listed in the Bibliography. My husband, Sam Zaslavsky, took
all the photographs and helped in many other ways. Thanks to J. Weston Walch,
Princeton U. P., and Marcia Ascher for permission to publish. Also thanks to
Mr. and Ms. Abelson, Ms. Schnipper, and Mr. Smith for use of their photographs,
and Dr. Crowe and Dr. Gerdes for use of their drawings. I take full
responsibility for any errors or lack of clarity.