Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Math, patterns & mazes...

So when DS was about 3 give or take, he used to make these very interesting patters using color form letters. They started out first in a straight line (A - Z, 0 - 9) but they moved on to pretty neat and interesting patterns with the letters always arranged in proper order. Except the F. Lost that one . Of course at the time I didn't think much about these patterns.

Forward to when DS was about 5 or just shy of that. He become very enthusiastic about math and learned some pretty advanced concepts. He seemed to really like patterns like Fibonacci numbers, Lucas (like Fibonacci), factorials, etc. Patterns again.

Then he started to be far more interested in Biology. Some of that might be due to his reading improvements and he could read through all sorts of books on his own.

Now he's really, really into solving mazes. He's starting to create his own to (and then proceeds to solve them)!

I have a theory that part of the reason that he like anatomy (which is his focus in "Biology") is that he's trying to learn "the patterns" of the body. How things work. The love of mazes is relatively new but it got me to thinking how it all is somehow connected in that little mind of his. He sees a picture of the digestive system and if the artist that drew the diagram doesn't clearly show the path of the small intestine, he's like "hey! where does this go to! It's not connected!"

Anyways... thought I'd share in case you've had similar experiences or thoughts.

JB

DS7 was really into mazes at the start of last year. We did a unit on it for homeschooling and even visited a big cornfield maze at Halloween. We talked about the history of mazes, the difference between labyrinths and mazes, and did some Greek mythology. Minotaur anyone?

I don't know if our experience helps you in any way, but it's yet another time when our kids have similar interests (and yours is ahead of mine time-wise again, lest your GT denial return... ).

GT denial is not schedule to return for at least one more week

I didn't think about using the history angle as a teaching point. Good one.

JB

Hit the library and search for "maze" and "labyrinth." You might come up with some surprisingly good stuff that way, just by accident. That's how the history stuff came up. I found a book about it--too high a reading level for him, so I read it and translated the material to him--and we talked about it. The history of church mazes as a meditative tool is pretty interesting, and could lead to some interesting geography lessons if you look at where the mazes were/are located. We didn't go this far because his interest was waning by this point. But it was possible.

I remember that one of the things that Ruf says in her book is that interests in mazes is common in HG kids; she makes special note of it being especially a sign of level 4 and 5 kids. This jumped out at me because my DS who had trouble writing or drawing any picture could draw mazes that were huge, detailed, and required a level of fine motor skills that he seemed to lack for anything else!

Good point, acs.

See now that buys at least one more week of non-GT-denial

JB

DD9 started with the mazes around 3yo before the math or organization part came in. Before her fine motor skills were adequate to complete them, she would look at the mazes and trace the path with her eyes.DH and I always laughed whenever we would go to a restaurant, because she would have the simple kids maze solved on the disposable place mat/menu before we would even sit down.

As far as the connection btw. math/mazes/order may be part of organizing ones brain. DD is a child who wants to make connections between information she already knows and how it relates to new information. It's like her own little filing system in her brain and all new information needs a place to go.

Also, when she is really interested in mazes (now that she's older, it comes and goes), she finds them everywhere. I can see the digestive system looking like a maze to your DS.
She also checked out a book on Mandalas in the library. She was tracing her fingers on the pictures as if she was solving a maze. DD has said that there is something soothing or meditative about a maze that she can't explain. This may be the fascination with HG kids whereas to another child it may be a frustrating challenge.

Jen

You could also get a book on Fractals and look into the Book of Kells.

The artwork in Kells is very, very maze-like and has fractal properties.

http://effortlessaction.blogspot.com/2007/08/book-of-kells.html

"The Book of Kells is an Illuminated Manuscript of great formal complexity, which was probably the work of seventh-century Irish monks. It is one of the more lavishly illuminated manuscripts to survive from the Middle Ages and has been described as the zenith of Western calligraphy and illumination. It contains the four gospels of the Bible in Latin, along with prefatory and explanatory matter decorated with numerous colourful illustrations and illuminations. The book has, through the ages, elicited from its admirers a response akin to ecstasy."

I just want to add that I stayed up all weekend reading the Book of Kells when I was 14. It is crack-addictive to the right mind.

My DS4 liked mazes pretty early on. I can't remember exactly, but we started getting him maze books around early 3. His love of mazes went away when he started getting better at mazes, and wanted to do harder ones, but his pencil grip got in the way of seeing where he was drawing (still fist grip for him). So, i guess until he decides to change the way he holds his pencil, no more mazes for him! He loved this video game - partial free version here: electric