Explorations with patty paper focusing on polygons: properties and area measurements

Doing mathematics is not an activity such as applying the rules or methods. Doing mathematics is developing methods to solve problems testing whether the answers given are meaningful or not and being able to model the work of doing mathematics in the real world as accurately as possible (Van de Walle, Karp, & Bay-Williams, 2013). Doing mathematics is a prerequisite for students to recognize meaningful mathematics. Meaningful mathematics can be discovered by students in many different ways and methods. One of these ways paper folding activities. Paper folding is an engaging and educational way to “do math.” Therefore, an instructional activity was developed in order to let students and teachers see and appreciate the educational function of these activities. Patty paper folding activities were carried out to explore the properties and areas of polygons. For this purpose, "Patty Paper Folding Activity in the Focus of Polygons" (PFA) and "Patty Paper Folding Activity Opinion Form" (PFO) were aadministrated. The study was held with six graduate students who were also mathematics teachers studying at the Department of Mathematics Education of a state university. PFA was held for 4 hours. The results of the study showed that the patty paper folding activity is a useful and functional tool that can be used in teaching polygons. After the implementation of the activity, it was seen that teachers generally did not have difficulties with the patty paper folding activities; they only needed the researcher's guidance in using the initial assumptions of patty paper and emphasized that the planning of folding activities should be detailed; the order of instruction is important and more time should be given for activity tasks. All of the teachers stated that the patty paper folding activities were beneficial and they willingly made the applications in discovery process. They stated that they intend to use these activities in their classrooms.