Journal of the Mathematics Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association
Volume 50 Issue 3, June 2013
34 -38
An Exploration of Per Cents and Fractions Through a Study of Fractals
Michael Jarry-Shore
In the winter of 2011, four classes of Grade 8 students at the Calgary Girls’ School, a public charter school for girls in Calgary, Alberta, explored the fascinating world of fractals. Alberta’s Mathematics Program of Studies, Grades K-9. states that students are to “gain an understanding and appreciation of the contributions of mathematics as a science, philosophy and art” (Alberta Learning 2007, 4). At the Calgary Girls· School, significant efforts are made to connect students’ mathematics learning to other subject areas to help students see the applications of concepts addressed in class. What follows is a discussion of an integrated project involving fractals that sought to develop students’ understanding of several mathematics concepts, while simultaneously requiring them to call on their emerging understanding to create fractal art.
