Grade 1 & 3’s Visit from MoMath

Yesterday the first and third grade was visited by Bruce Bayly from the Museum of Math (MoMath). We spend a really fun hour together! First Mr. Bruce inflated balloons and twisted them into 2-D and 3-D shapes while we considered the number of faces and corners each had. It turned out that addition, multiplication, and geometry are all connected!

Then we did a little exploration of the relationship between size and sound. Mr. Bruce played a violin and a viola for us, and the children thought about the difference in the sound. Mr. Bruce encouraged them to observe carefully and share what they noticed about the strings of the two instruments. Then we explored the sounds made by metal cylinders of different lengths when they’re dropped on the floor, and when they’re coated with rosin and rubbed with the fingers. The grand finale ‘instrument’ was a turkey baster. Did you know that if you fill a turkey baster part way with water and blow across the opening like a flute, it makes a sound – and that if you then squeeze the bulb to raise or lower the level of the water, the pitch changes? (Try it if you have one at home!)

After that Mr. Bruce taught the children a short but interesting game called “Sprouts.” Ask your child to teach you!

Special thanks to Valerie, a 1st and 3rd-grade parent, for being instrumental in bringing MoMath to BSI. We really enjoyed the visit! There will be one more visit to another grade level by MoMath soon.