What does geometry mean to you? Take a 'geometry walk' to help you express your current thinking about geometry, and maybe to come up with some ideas and questions about geometry that you hadn't thought of before. After the walk there are some investigations for you to do.

No, I do mean walk; you'll need to move slowly to see the world geometrically.

Well, you could go anywhere, but move beyond your present environment so that you'll get some new, stimulating images. When you walk, you can control your speed, stop, sketch, take photographs, and think about what you're seeing.

You, your observations, and your questions are in charge. I personally like looking at individual buildings, old and new.

Try to find shapes and symmetries. Find as many different shapes as you can or the most unusual that you can find. You might want to say that some of the shapes you find are geometric and others are not, or you might decide that all shapes are geometric. For symmetries, start with bilateral (mirror) symmetry - the kind that a person's body (roughly) has: a left side and a right side that are (roughly) the 'same.' Bilateral symmetry can be produced by reflecting in a mirror. Other types of symmetry can be produced by rotating or by shifting.

A sketch pad or notepad, a camera, grid paper, small ruler are all useful.

Just look and follow where your eyes take you. Take notes about what you see. Photograph items to have a visual record. Even better, sketch what you see. Often, this will help you to see new things and start to comprehend what you see in new and deeper ways, even if the resulting sketches are disappointing.

After the Walk?

List your questions and observations. Try to put these into categories to help you remember and think about them. Go to Walk Repository to see what other people have found. E-mail me to ask questions or to put your questions, observations, images from your walk into the Walk Repository.