ARThematics + FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Integrated Projects in Contact: Stefanie
Mandelbaum
Math, Art and Beyond 609-443-3917

arthematics@comcast.net


MATH-ART BOOK HIGHLIGHTS ANCIENT GREECE,
ISLAMIC MOSAICS, HAIDA TOTEMS


Princeton Junction, May 15 – Authors Stefanie Mandelbaum and
Jacqueline Guttman announce the publication of their book, ARThematics
Plus: Integrated Projects in Math, Art and Beyond. Designed as a
reinforcement and enrichment resource for teachers in grades 4-6, the
book’s lessons engage students with stories about daily life in
ancient Greece, the construction of the Alhambra, traditions of the
Haida Indians of the American Northwest and much more. In helping
teachers comply with the latest NCTM standards, it brings fundamental
math concepts to light through the creation of works of art.
Based on nearly a decade of Stefanie Mandelbaum’s math-art
workshops, ARThematics Plus is divided into two major sections –
Shapes, Symbols and Symmetry and Pondering Proportions. The chapters
– with names like "Figurative Fractions", "2-D in a 3-D Universe" and
"Collages and Composites" – contain an overview, a math-art activity,
and follow-up "tangents" incorporating language arts, social studies,
science and music. The lesson on "Pythagorean Ratios in Math and Art",
for example, teaches about rational and irrational numbers, direct
and inverse proportions, and fractions, decimals, percents and ratios
while investigating Pythagoras’ philosophy of harmony and balance in
all things. In the process, students construct mobiles, learn about
word derivations, discuss myths and legends, build a monochord
(1-string instrument) and discover how the influence of Ancient Greece
remains with us even today.
Glossaries, black-line masters of Mandelbaum’s original
illustrations, and lists of additional resources and websites are
also included. While the primary goal is math enrichment, a secondary
goal is to make students aware of how both math and art are integral
parts of our lives.
In discussing their motivation for writing the book, Mandelbaum
said, "So many students have math-anxiety, which gets worse as they
get older because the concepts and skills build on what they’ve
already learned. They tend to avoid math courses as much as possible,
thinking they’ll never need it in "real" life. Guttman added,
"Interestingly, art is also perceived as inconsequential to everyday
needs. With slight variations – math is too hard, art is superfluous
– students, and sometimes their parents, hide their intimidation and
lack of understanding behind a smokescreen of dismissal. We wanted to
try to make math and art interesting to everyone, and fun to both
learn and teach."
Stefanie Mandelbaum, an artist/mathematician, is an adjunct
assistant professor at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ, where
she has taught in the Education, Fine Arts, and Management Science
departments. Her courses have included Teaching Mathematics: Pre-K-8,
Twentieth Century Art, and Introduction to Quantitative Methods. She
has taught both math and art on all levels in school, museum and
library settings and has worked extensively with students with math
anxiety, learning disabilities and attention-deficit disorder.
Mandelbaum holds a BS in mathematics from Queens College (CUNY), a
MAT (mathematics) from Montclair University and an MFA (sculpture)
from Pratt Institute. The book is based on over 300 student and
teacher workshops she has given throughout the tri-state area.
Jacqueline S. Guttman owns a consulting firm with an emphasis on
arts education and outreach. A musician and former K-12 music
educator, she has written numerous teacher supplements to complement
in-school performances and arts workshops. Guttman holds a BS in
music education from the State University of New York at Potsdam and
Masters Degrees in both music education and arts administration from
New York University. Not incidentally, she was a math-anxious student
for most of her school career.
For information about the book or Arthematics workshops, Stefanie
Mandelbaum can be contacted by e-mail at arthematics@comcast.net.
ARThematics Plus can be ordered on line from 1st Books.com,
Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other major outlets.