2nd Annual Lincoln University Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls Day featured workshop by Mrs. Bernadette Turner on the topic of knot theory.https://bluetigercommons.lincolnu.edu/mathday4girls/1001/thumbnail.jp

Association for Women in Mathematics, Lincoln University of Missouri

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Lincoln University: Blue Tiger Commons@LincolnU

Lincoln UniversityBlue Tiger Commons@LincolnUMath for Girls Day Documents Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls Day4-20-20072007 Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls DayFeatured Workshop: Knot TheoryAssociation for Women in Mathematics, Lincoln University of MissouriFollow this and additional works at: https://bluetigercommons.lincolnu.edu/mathday4girlsPart of the Mathematics CommonsThis Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls Day at Blue Tiger Commons@LincolnU. It has beenaccepted for inclusion in Math for Girls Day Documents by an authorized administrator of Blue Tiger Commons@LincolnU. For more information,please contact MartinD2@lincolnu.edu.Recommended CitationAssociation for Women in Mathematics, Lincoln University of Missouri, "2007 Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls Day FeaturedWorkshop: Knot Theory" (2007). Math for Girls Day Documents. 2.https://bluetigercommons.lincolnu.edu/mathday4girls/2Mrs. Bernadette Turner, Assistant Professor of Mathematics Lincoln University Workshop Title: Knot Theory    Mrs. Turner presented a workshop for parents and math teachers. The purpose of this workshop was: 1. To show how mathematics supports and organizes scientific theory 2. To give teachers and parents ideas for incorporating knot theory in their classrooms 3. To show activities that builds NCTM goals for spatial visualization for problem solving and critical thinking.  The class began with a lesson about the history of knot theory as a branch of topology and its relevance to today’s study of DNA molecules and viruses.  Participants were given a handout, which included problem solving activities and examples that could be used in class or with their daughters in a home-school lesson.  After the initial discussion of real life uses of knot theory, participants were given a two - foot length of clothesline rope and a clipboard to help hold their knots in place.  On the cover page of the handout were some examples of knots and participants were told to try and find the “unknot.”  The unknot, also called the trivial knot (Rolfsen 1976, p. 51), is a closed loop that is not knotted.   Participants also studied the two different forms of the trefoil knot and then charted and classified knots by the number of over and under crossings.   At the end of the workshop, teachers and parents came up with a list of ideas where they could incorporate lessons using knot theory in their current curriculums.  Unknot Trefoil Knot 

2007 Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls Day Featured Workshop: Knot Theory

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2007 Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls Day Featured Workshop: Knot Theory

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