Making a crossword

Solving crossword is a brainstorming activity. In teaching of mathematics,this strategy could be utilised effectively. But there is a scarcity of good crossword puzzles. Now, it is not a problem.By just a click of your mouse, you can make interesting and challenging crosswords for the students.

EclipseCrossword is an easy, fun way to create crossword puzzles. And the program is completely free.
This freeware is easy to use.
You simply enter a list of words, along with clues to go with each. Then, EclipseCrossword gets to work turning those words into a crossword puzzle.
EclipseCrossword comes with a tutorial that will have you creating crossword puzzles in no time. The simple interface makes the program easy to use, and there are many options and features that will help you get your crossword puzzles just the way you want them.
Once your crossword puzzles are completed, you can share them with others in a variety of ways. You can print them out. Or you can post them online in either in printable form, or as interactive crossword puzzles. A JavaScript or Java applet allows visitors to your website can solve online.
Create and print out crosswords or save them into either a web page, Microsoft word or text file. ...Try it

http://www.greeneclipsesoftware.com/eclipsecrossword/download.html

A sample Crossword created

Across

2. has famous theorem for a right triangle
4. meaning measuring earth

Down

1. a branch of mathematics
3. tool for solving a mathematics problem
5. father of geometry

Solution

Fibonacci Sequence...Part II

Fibonacci Sequence in nature
The Fibonacci sequence has intrigued mathematicians for centuries. It is noticed that these numbers appear in many different patterns in nature, often creating the beauty we admire.
I have collected the following pictures from various resources to show them to my students. They are asked to look for Fibonacci numbers in pictures of objects from nature. They are asked to look for specific numbers that appear in the sequence, not for the entire sequence.
Normally, I divide students into groups of three or four and distribute the Activity Sheet containing pictures: Finding Fibonacci Numbers in Nature.

Count the number of dots on each flower.

Fibonacci Sequence...Part I

It was first observed by the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci in 1202. He was investigating how fast rabbits could breed under ideal circumstances. He made the following assumptions:
Begin with one male and one female rabbit. Rabbits can mate at the age of one month, so by the end of the second month, each female can produce another pair of rabbits.
The rabbits never die.
The female produces one male and one female every month.
He calculated how many pairs of rabbits would be produced in one year.

Motivate the students to develop the sequence themselves. Remind them that they have to count only the pairs of rabbits and not individual rabbits.

Give them some hint

You begin with one pair of rabbits ,write 1.
At the end of the first month, there is still only one pair ,again write 1.
At the end of the second month, the female has produced a second pair, so there are 2 pairs, write 2.
At the end of the third month, the original female has produced another pair, so now there are 3 pairs.so write 3.
At the end of the fourth month, the original female has produced yet another pair, and the female born two months earlier has produced her first pair, making a total of 5 pairs ,write 5.

Write the pattern that has emerged : 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, and 233...

Observe what rule is being followed to get from one number to the next.

Understand that to get the next number in the sequence, you have to add the previous two numbers.

Kirigami

Kirigami is an art which is a combination of origami i.e. paper folding, and paper cutting. In Japan, the word kirigami had been in use for a long time because "kiru” means to cut, and “gami” means paper.
Making Paper snowflakes is an example of Kirigami. The students can explore incredible hidden symmetry patterns and write on mathematical interpretations. This way they would not only start loving mathematics but surely ask for more mathematics. Click on the following link and visualize the beauty of mathematical patterns generated. The students can explore many patterns and create them using a paper and a pair of scissors.

Interactive Kirigami tool
http://members.aol.com/kevinsw/kweb/kirigami.html

On the following link the instructions for making a Kirigami Flower are given .
http://www.origami-resource-center.com/kirigami-flower.html