By: Leonora Spyros

Click to Begin!!

Main Menu

• Introduction• Task• Process:

-Person 1-Person 2-Person 3-Person 4

• Evaluation• Resources

• Teacher’s Page

• Click at any time to return to this page

• Click to go to the next page and to go back

Start

Overview

• This lesson is a WebQuest about fractals and what they are and how they relate to the world.

• It is geared towards a fifth grade mathematics class.

• You will need internet access in order to complete this WebQuest.

Introduction

Does anyone have an idea of what these images below are? Or how they were created? We are going to explore pictures like this and others to learn about what they are and what their purpose in math is.

You have entered the world of strange and unusual shapes!

Introduction

Although all of the pictures from the previous slide look different, they are all fractals, which seems

like a fitting name for these images of small broken pieces all put together.

This WebQuest is developed to get a better understanding of what fractals are and what their

purpose is in mathematics.

Task

Person 1:-Your task will be to focus on

fractals and what they have to do with math.

Person 2:-Your task will be to focus on the

history behind fractals.

According to the number that you have been assigned in your group, you will all have a different role to withstand. You will meet with your group once you have completed your role and share the information that you found with your group. Click on the image below your individual task to

view some specific questions that you will have to answer. Write your answers on a separate piece of paper that will be handed in.

Person 3:

-Your task will be to focus on how fractals are used.

Person 4:

-Your task will be to focus on how fractals relate to art.

Person 2 Process

• How long have fractals been around?• Who is the “father of fractals” or in other words, who

discovered fractals? Give a brief biography of him and show some examples of his work.

• Who are some other mathematicians who have worked with fractals? Give some examples of their work.

Go to the resources page to start searching for the answers!

Write the answers in your note book so they can be handed in after your group presents.

Click the button above to go to the resources page.

Person 3 Process

• How are fractals used in mathematics?• Where else are fractals present besides in mathematics?• In what other fields besides math are fractals being

used, and for what purpose?

Go to the resources page to start searching for the answers!

Click the button above to go to the resources page.

Person 4 Process

• Are fractals mathematics or are they art?• Who are some people that have created fractals, and are

they mathematicians or artists?• What artistic tools are used to produce fractals?• Find some examples of fractals that look like art work.

Go to the resources page to start searching for the answers!

Click the button above to go to the resources page.

Person 1 Process

• To what branch of mathematics do fractals belong?• What mathematics and tools are needed to produce

fractals?• What Is self-similar in regards to fractals? Give some

specific examples that apply for fractals.• What is scaling in regards to fractals? Give some

specific examples that apply for fractals.

Go to the resources page to start searching for the answers!

Click the button above to go to the resources page.

After completing your task…

• Share the information that you have found with the rest of your group.

• Make sure that everyone is clear on all of the information.

• Put together a poster, a summary, or any other type of way to present your findings with your group, including all four parts of the information that will then be presented in front of the entire class.

Evaluation

• You will be graded on the answers to your different questions for the number that you were assigned to individually.

• Then you will be graded on the group presentation, as a group, so you must all work together.

• You will be graded on how well you work as a group and how well you present to the class.

• There is a rubric I will follow for your evaluation.• Click here for rubric

Rubric

Individual Role

(Questions)

-Very thorough responses

-Great content

-Good Responses

-Good content

-Average responses and content

-Not very thorough

-Little content

-Poor responses

-Poor content

Group Presentation

-Well Organized

-Great overall look

-Good organization

-Good look

-Some organization

-Some creativity

-Little organization

-Little creativity

-Poor organization

-Not creative

Group Work -Worked very well together

-Everyone included

-Worked well together

-Almost everyone included

-Worked together pretty well

-Most included

-Worked together a little

-Few included

-Worked poorly together

-Not everyone included

Participation

(In class discussion)

-Actively/

Always participated

-Good participation

-Some participation

-Little participation

-No participation

5 4 3 2 1

Total: ___/20 This WebQuest will be counted as 20% of your projects grade

Conclusions(For Follow-up Class Discussion)

• How were the different roles each important in their own ways?

• How was it working as groups and sharing all of your individual information with the group and then putting it all together?

• Do you still have any new questions about fractals and their purposes in mathematics?

• What was your favorite thing about fractals?• Is there anything that you disliked about

fractals?

Resources• Exploring Fractals

http://www.math.umass.edu/~mconnors/fractal/fractal.html• Fractal World

http://www.kcsd.k12.pa.us/~projects/fractal/• Fractals

http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/frac/• Lina’s Art Gallery

http://www.linas.org/art-gallery/• Sprott’s Fractal Gallery http://

sprott.physics.wisc.edu/fractals.htm• Coolmath’s Fractals

http://www.coolmath4kids.com/fractals.html• Fractals

http://mathforum.org/alejandre/workshops/fractal/fractal3.html• What is a Fractal

http://www.glyphs.com/art/fractals/what_is.html

Teacher’s Page

• This is a fractal WebQuest designed for fifth grade students in a mathematics class. This WebQuest is developed to get a better understanding of what fractals are and what their purpose is in mathematics as well as outside of mathematics. It is created in a fun way to get all of the students involved individually and then to come together to share their information with each other, and finally create a presentation to show to the class. This lesson will take about a week to complete. It is designed in a fun way to engage the students to want to learn by being interactive and using computers and the internet to find the information necessary to complete their assignment.

Teacher’s Page

• NCTM Standards: (communication and representation)– organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through

communication – communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly

to peers, teachers, and others – use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas

precisely – recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of

mathematics– recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas – understand how mathematical ideas interconnect and build on

one another to produce a coherent whole