Our second graders embarked on an exciting journey exploring the fascinating world of Fibonacci sequences through transdisciplinary learning. Students integrated this mathematical concept across multiple subjects, deepening their understanding through hands-on exploration.
This inquiry reflects the IB curriculum’s emphasis on developing inquirers and thinkers, as students explored real-world patterns through curiosity and critical thinking.
In English class, students created detailed plant fact files incorporating spiral diagrams to showcase their findings. During math lessons, they used the Fibonacci spiral as a tool for addition problems, with Yahya and Lisa making breakthrough discoveries that impressed their classmates.
Science explorations revealed the prevalence of these spirals in nature – from the 21 spirals in sunflower seed patterns to the 8 spirals in pine cones, and even the spiral shape of our own ears! Students were delighted to discover these mathematical patterns in the world around them and created fact files showcasing various spiral patterns they found in nature.
This project exemplifies how interconnected learning helps our young students develop critical thinking skills while fostering curiosity about the mathematical structures that shape our natural world.