String, Straightedge and Shadow: The Story of Geometry

Rating:
Summary: Text and Illustrations Make Ancient Geometry Clear
Review: I've been reading several books on the history of mathematics lately. This one is the best! It makes concepts so clear by the marriage of text and illustrations. For example, I've read about Thales solving how high the Great Pyramid of Cheops was in two other books. This book used four diagrams and several pages of text to clearly explain how Thales answered his own question. Author Julia Diggins goes into depth on geometry but on a level children can understand.

Proceed slowly, letting your children try to solve a problem before reading about its solution. For example, pose the problem of drawing a perfect circle using a string. Once they have solved the problem or given up, read that part of the book. Then go to the beach or a park and use a volleyball pole and a rope to draw circles in the sand with your feet.

Then set them to figuring out how to divide a circle into six equal parts using the string. After they solve or give up, read that part of "String, Straightedge, & Shadow." Let them follow the instructions and illustrations in chapter six to reproduce the results. Play with a Spirograph, too.

Since this book is out of print, try to locate it at a thrift store or library sale; it is worth the effort. But I hope I find it before you.

Rating:
Summary: this is a wonderful book, filled with great stories and info
Review: This is a wonderful book, filled with great stories and information. I have gotten it from the library and used it with my Montessori elementary class, and am searching for a copy of my own.