About Math by Art
The Math by Art Project engages young people in Haiti in repurposing plastic waste to learn math. It has reached over 1000 students.
Using the project’s interactive educational software, students learn math concepts by using discarded plastic bottles to make math manipulatives, art, and practical tools.
The project’s hands-on approach aims to open new doors at the intersection of math education and environmental stewardship and help transform an environmental and health hazard into an educational resource.
Math by Art workshop, SAKALA, Cité Soleil, 2016.
Math by Art workshop, HHF, Jérémie, 2016.
Inspiration
Walking in Jérémie, Haiti, in 2014, Julia found herself wincing against smoke rising from a pyre of burning plastic. Commonly, plastic waste in Haiti is burned outside in piles on the ground, releasing toxic chemicals into the air, land, and water; plastic is also frequently discarded and left to clog drainage systems and pollute the ocean.
In the most economically impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere, resources for tackling environmental and other challenges are scarce.
Inadequate educational resources also mean that 15 to 17-year-old students frequently find themselves in fourth- to sixth-grade math.
Inspired by the environmental challenges she observed in Haiti, and the dire need for math education resources, Julia founded the Math by Art Project.
Educational Software Modules
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Circles:
This module teaches students how to recycle plastic bottles to make geometric compasses, and about the basic principles of circles. Students can then use their compasses to make art.
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Fractions:
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This module introduces fractions, which students use to repurpose discarded plastic bottles into brooms.
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Applied Geometry:
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This module explores geometric constructions, including circles and equilateral triangles.
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Algebra:
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This module introduces variables and algebraic equations. It uses these concepts to teach students how to construct their own checkers games out of recycled plastic.
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