My 2011 Resolution: Investigate Mathematics of Calendars and Fitness
Ring in the new year with interdisciplinary units related to the development of calendars and getting fit.
By Donna Iadipaolo
In January we welcome the mythical Baby New Year, and give our regards to Father Time. We post our new calendars and make our resolutions. This month, we can also motivate students with lessons that relate to calendars and keeping the most popular resolution: getting healthy.
An interdisciplinary project, in which mathematics is an integral part, is the study of the evolution of calendars. This subject lends itself well to colleague collaboration as well. Scientifically, the focus might be the astronomical basis of time measurement. In social science classes, an emphasis on cultures, civilizations, and religions could be studied further. For language arts, students might actually create their own day planner and begin a new year habit of writing daily in their journals.
In the book “The Structure and Mathematics of the Principal Calendars of the Western World,” author Martin Kapel connects the astronomical and cultural aspects of the measurement of time throughout history. For instance, Kapel tackles the relationship between the lunar calendar and Muslim holy days. (Kapel cites the current accepted value for one lunation=29.5305882 mean solar days.) He delves into the solar calendar in relation to the Egyptian, Roman, Julian, and Gregorian calendars. (The current accepted value for 1 solar year=365.24219878 means solar days.) Kapel also devotes an entire chapter to the Jewish calendar. Further, he tackles more “obsolete,” yet notable, calendars such as the Babylonian, Greek, Armenian, Celtic, Incan, Aztec, and Mayan Calendars. Kapel also offers mathematical formulas to enable the reader to move between one calendar and another. Indeed, this text is a great resource for inspiring various interdisciplinary lessons with a mathematical focus.
Furthermore, since the most popular new year’s resolution relates to getting healthy in January, a lesson that connects exercise and nutrition to mathematics may also be of greater interest to students this time of year. For instance, students may research rates of calories burned for various activities and create rate formulas. To broaden the project, students could create a work-out routine for themselves or a community member, playing the role of a fitness trainer. Students can also examine nutritional data mathematically. For instance, they may collect data concerning the relationship between the amount of fat and calories in various foods. This study may also be expanded by creating a nutritional plan that meets the suggested daily nutritional recommendations.
Here are more lessons to help your students develop an understanding of the historical, traditional, and social implications of the new year.
New Year Lessons and Activities:
Students scale the evolution of the universe to a one-year calendar, with the Big Bang occurring on the first moment of January 1st. They estimate where on this one-year timeline significant events in the Earth's history should be placed.
Students are introduced to the Mayan Long Count calendar system. They work in groups to calculate the date of their births and use the calendar to determine important Mayan dates.
Students learn about Mayan achievements in mathematics. They examine the Mayan calendar, demonstrate how to convert Mayan numbers to decimal numbers, and vice versa. In addition, they create a timeline of Mayan civilization using print and Web resources.
Looking at Illuminated Manuscripts: The Modern Day Planner
Students compare illustrations from the book of hours with modern-day calendars and planners. In this calendar comparison lesson, students examine "The Annunciation" by Master of James IV of Scotland before discussing the use of a book of hours. They watch a video about calendar pages in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Students compare the works to a modern calendar/planning book and then create a book of hours.
Students conduct a class-wide survey collecting, compiling, and analyzing data about fitness, weight loss, and body image issues. They analyze the relationship between exercise and diet.