resources and contacts

Puzzle Sources

Our puzzles section has a collection of math fair puzzles. In addition, there are several websites that have good math-based puzzles, some of which are directly useable in a math fair.

Books

   

The English and French versions of the math fair booklet are available through the PIMS University of Alberta site for approximately CA $10.00. There is also a Spanish version (electronic copy only). Contact either Dana McCallum (danam@ualberta.ca) or Ted Lewis (tlewis@math.ualberta.ca).

The following books have been recommended by teachers who have used them as resources for math fair puzzles:

1000 Playthinks, Ivan Moscovich, Workman Publishing, New York, 2001.

The Giant Book of Math Fun, Raymond Blum, Glen Vecchione, Kurt Smith, Steve Ryan, Adam Hart-Davis, Sterling Publishing, 1999.

Below are more sources of problems and puzzles. Martin Gardner, one of our patrons, has written many excellent books on mathematical recreations (which was the name of his column that he conducted for years in Scientific American). We list some of his books below but recommend that you investigate many others. Most public libraries stock a good selection of his books.

Another excellent source of puzzles are the books by Dennis Shasha featuring Dr. Ecco. The majority of his puzzles are original, and are wonderful for high-school students. A recent book of his, listed below, includes puzzles that are accessible to students in the elementary and junior high or middle school grades.

We should also mention that quite a few of the problems in the collections by Brian Bolt are almost "math fair ready". From the point of view of sources of problems for math fairs, the ones listed here are probably his best.

Entertaining Mathematical Puzzles, Martin Gardner, Dover, 1961.

Aha! Insight, Martin Gardner, W.H.Freeman and Company, New York, 1978.

Riddles of the Sphinx and other Mathematical Puzzle Tales, Vol 32 of the New Mathematical Library, Mathematical Association of America, 1988

The Mathematical Puzzles of Sam Loyd, edited by Martin Gardner, Dover, 1959.

More Mathematical Puzzles of Sam Loyd, edited by Martin Gardner, Dover, 1960.

The Puzzler's Elusion, a Tale of Fraud, Pursuit, and the Art of Logic , Dennis Shasha, Thunder's Mouth Press, 2006.

536 Puzzles and Curious problems, by Henry Ernest Dudeney, edited by Martin Gardner, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1967.

The Moscow Puzzles---359 Mathematical Recreations, Boris A. Kordemski, edited by Martin Gardner, Dover, New York, 1992.

The Amazing Mathematical Amusement Arcade, Brian Bolt, Cambridge Univ Press, 1980.

The Mathematical Funfair, Brian Bolt, Cambridge Univ Press, 1985.

Mathematical Cavalcade, Brian Bolt, Cambridge Univ Press, 1988.

A Mathematical Pandora's Box, Brian Bolt, Cambridge Univ Press, 1989

A Mathematical Jamboree, Brian Bolt, Cambridge Univ Press, 1991.

 

Contacts

There may be someone in your area who has organized a math fair. Here is a list of people that would welcome an inquiry.

Workshops and conferences

The SNAP foundation and its supporters have sponsored many math fair workshops in the past.

The workshops are intended mainly for teachers, but we welcome educators of all types. In previous workshops, participants have come from elementary schools, junior-high and high schools, from independent organizations, and from universities and colleges, and on some occasions have included expert puzzle and game creators.

Workshop participants learn about and try math-based puzzles and games that can be used in the classroom. Teachers have a chance to see how other teachers have organized math fairs at their schools, how the SNAP math fair fits the curriculum, and what some schools have done for follow-ups.

Upcoming workshops and presentations

April 15-17, 2011, BIRS, Banff.
Contact Tiina Hohn (hohnt@macewan.ca), Ted Lewis (tlewis@math.ualberta.ca), or Andy Liu (al3@ualberta.ca).

This is the eighth annual math fair workshop in BIRS.

The workshop is extremely popular with teachers in elementary and secondary schools, provides them with resources for their lesson plans, and it is helping to to reshape the way mathematics is being approached in the schools. Problem solving and puzzles in the classroom are now a specific area of the curriculum and in-service teachers have had very little training in using these tools effectively. This is not limited to Alberta Schools and the SNAP math fair idea is now spreading around the world. This type of 2 day workshop is considered a front line approach in the collaborative effort between mathematicians, more experienced teachers and all teachers interested in professional development to improve the mathematics teaching in the elementary level and beyond. To have teachers share their valuable experiences with math fair in their own schools is the best and most useful information to others.

Past participants have viewed the workshop as one of the most valuable education initiatives.

May 27, 2011, 8:45am - 3:45pm, Fields Institute, Toronto.
Contact Tanya Thompson (tthompson@thinkfun.com, tcthompson@hotmail.com) (Tel: 705.446.2334)

This is the fifth annual SNAP Math Fair conference at Fields.

Are you interested in inspiring your elementary students in Mathematics? Become better problem solvers to think outside the box? How about sharing with them some wonderful and fun recreational mathematics problems and puzzles?

Come learn about SNAP Math Fairs and be inspired! And don't worry about having to reinvent the wheel. We will provide you with all the tools you need!

This is a one-day workshop with a real SNAP math fair presented by PVNC students. The registration fee is only $25.00 and it includes lunch.

The speakers include:

Tanya Thompson; Inventor Relations, ThinkFun, Inc.; SNAP Director
Tiina Hohn, Grant-McEwan College, Alberta; SNAP Director
Jim Timourian, Prof. Emeritus, U of Alberta; SNAP Chairman
Bill Ritchie, C.E.O. ThinkFun, Inc.; SNAP Director
Judith Rioux-Wilson, Teacher, P.V.N.C. Catholic S.B.; Peterborough
Jennifer Wyatt, Teacher, Havergal College; Toronto
Tyler Somer; Teacher and U of Waterloo Contest Committee; Waterloo<\p>

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