Press Release
The Somerville Mathematics Fund
28 May 2004
for immediate release


Mathematical Pattern Party is a Big Success

On Friday night, April 30, middle school students from the A.D. Healey School, the East Somerville Community School, and the Powderhouse Community School, their parents and teachers, student volunteers from Somerville High School, the PTA, and members of The Somerville Mathematics Fund gathered at the A. D. Healey School for a mathematical Pattern Party.

A good time was had by all at this family mathematics night. Some geometric and numerical patterns were created while others were solved, polyhedra were built, mathematical symmetries were were used to decode words, mirror puzzles were mastered, dance and drumming patterns were performed, and patterns in football were discussed. Everyone worked on numerical and geometric problem solving while dining on hot dogs, chips and apple juice. Prizes were awarded at the end of a very exciting mathematical evening.

The Somerville Mathematics Fund was honored to be able to sponsor this exciting event with the support and time of the many wonderful individuals in the Somerville schools and community as well as generous donations from businesses. Among the generous donors were the Boston Red Sox, Joe Caruso, Eddie Andelman, the 99 Restaurant, Holiday Inn, Charles River Boat Cruise, Palmer Video, Leone’s Pizza, Dunkin Donuts (Broadway), Primo’s Pizza, Louie’s Ice Cream, Shaws/Star Markets on Broadway and Beacon, Avellino’s Restaurant, KFC/Taco Bell, Kelly’s Diner, Good Times Emporium, Somerville Theater, Mamma Lisa Pizza, Patsy’s Bakery, Sacco’s Bowl Haven, and Pini’s Pizza.

The Somerville Mathematics Fund was founded in 2000 to celebrate and encourage mathematics achievement in the city of Somerville. They offer college mathematics scholarships, teacher grants, and family mathematics problem solving challenges, in addition to sponsoring family mathematics nights. For more information, to make a donation, or to volunteer, go to www.somervillemathematicsfund.org or contact voolich@aol.com.






Pattern Party Activities

Before
1.Tessellations
create tessellation to display the night of the Pattern Party
2. Patterns in Music
write a dance to illustrate a known mathematical pattern
3. Drumming Patterns
create a drumming pattern to illustrate a known mathematical pattern


Stations During the Evening
1. Complete the Mystery Pattern: Feel patterns made from a sequence of blocks inside mystery bags, choose the correct next piece in the sequence
2. Geometric Solids: Build polyhedra with toothpicks and gum drops
3. Find the words: Use Scott Kim’s “double talk” with transparency overlays, to find each of the words using mathematical transformations
4. Solve Tangram Puzzles: Use tangrams with Fibonacci designs to build various polygons
5. Guess the Geometric Solids: Without looking in the mystery boxes, draw or name the geometric solid only using feel
6. Mirror Puzzles: Solve puzzles from Marion Walter’s Mirror book
7. Coloring Pascal’s Triangle: Color the multiples of 2, 3, or 5
8. Football Patterns: Talk with John Hannah about patterns in football
9. Complete the Pattern Quiz
10. Complete the Number Patterns
11. Complete the Geometric Patterns
12. Solve puzzles based on number and geometirc patterns

Whole Group Activities
1. Perform the Patterns in Music and have audience guess the number pattern
4. Perform drumming patterns and have audience guess the number pattern
4. Draw names of winners of prizes at end of evening