Math and Art: The Beauty of Skip Counting

This entry is part 10 of 38 in the series Classsical Conversations

a simple art project reviewing skip counting - with template for skip counting up to 16 counts - perfect for Classical Conversations families to do together

A couple of weeks ago I went to the mailbox to find a slim package for me(!). I love surprise mail! Tucked inside the package was Math Art + Drawing Games for Kids by Karyn Tripp. Inside the book were a LOT of projects that have my kids saying, “Cool! I want to do this one!”

Both my older girls immediately asked if we could make Pattern Block Cookies. And they have mentioned making them almost every day since. Although I am sure it is not hard, my currently slightly overwhelmed mama-nerves cannot handle a kitchen project at this moment.

Thus I gently directed the kids into something I knew would tie in to what we already are doing with school. Sometimes I love being in charge.

I was given an advance copy of Math Art + Drawing Games for Kids to review. All opinions about the book are my own. Affiliate links may be included in this post.

A Skip Counting Art Project

We are a Classical Conversations family that does Saxon Math and we love skip counting. When I saw the beautiful Skip Counting Circular Art – I knew we could do that as our first project.

What I didn’t immediately realize was that this project would fit so nicely into our one-room schoolhouse situation. Our littlest guy wanted in on the action, too!

My oldest (memory master – skip counting master) was able to do the project completely unassisted. My 1st grader needed some assistance and went only to the 6s. And my little guy preschooler, colored his wheel and dictated the numbers for me as I wrote them.

I wanted this to be a lead-learner project because I wanted to do it too. But two of my students required more help and didn’t allow me to complete my circle. The good news is: my kids want to do it again and will need less direction next time!

More Math Art Projects

As I mentioned, Math Art + Drawing Games for Kids is filled with interesting and unique ideas for bringing art and math together. What’s more, many of them are perfect for all-ages and abilities of math. The projects we are looking forward to the most are:

  • Square Numbers Tower – perfect for practicing skip counting the squares with something visual for the kids to review
  • Paul Klee’s Geometric Mosaic
  • Frank Lloyd Wright’s Geometric Stained Glass Art
  • Descending Polygons
  • Native American Quill Art, and
  • Pattern Block Cookies

Making it work for CC

A note about the template in the book: it is made for skip counting up to the 12s. I had to modify the circle (enlarging it on our copier) adding my own lines to make it possible to skip count 16 numbers. We chose to go up to the Classical Conversations standard of 15 and leave one of the wedges blank. And alternative would be to add the cubes to the Circular Art project.

I created a modified template for Classical Conversations students and parents to use together. You can get it when you subscribe to my site. When you do, you get access to a growing number of resources in our Shop. There are some other must-have Skip Counting resources in there already.

Math Art + Drawing Games for Kids is currently available on Amazon.

a simple art project reviewing skip counting - with template for skip counting up to 16 counts - perfect for Classical Conversations families to do together

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