GB2318676A - Learning aid - Google Patents

Abstract

This basic metric and maths learning aid relates to a hollow cube in various materials, printed or embossed on the outside to demonstrate three of the six basic S.I. units, with storage inside for additional information on cards, leaflets, plastic bags, etc. It could be depicted by multimedia methods. Other mathematical concepts are included. It can be assembled for use and disassembled for storage. A plastic bag 8 fitted inside the cube can hold water to be weighed and enable correlations to be made. It is intended for self-learning and teaching, alone or in groups, anywhere.

Description

BASIC METRIC AND MATHS LEARNING AID This invention relates to a basic metric and maths learning aid for self-instruction or teaching, by itself or with additional information and materials, or by multimedia methods, etc.

Tt can demonstrate by vision and touch, simply, practically and simultaneously the scientific links between the metre, gram and litre in the S.I. (Systeme Internationale d'Unites) system of measurements, derived from the coherent units.

This is the crux of the invention, is not immediately obvious, and may be very helpful in everyday living.

The test equipment may be available in most households, and may give reasonable accuracy.

People of all ages who learned the Imperial or other systems of measurement, have often found the change to the Metric System to be very difficult. This aid may systematically enable them to start afresh to appreciate metric values and become confident again, in metric transactions.

The aid enables revision, and linkage with useful areas of their knowledge by encouraging cross referencing.

Initial learning may also be facilitated at any age after about three years, in universal education.

Greater numeracy and understanding in the general population needs to be encouraged.

(continued) Professions and complex occupations also impose steep learning curves, such as drug doses for nursing students, expressed in multiples. For example, the widely used and potentially toxic heart drug Digoxin is prescribed as Tab. Digoxin 0.25 mg (the usual adult dose). Yet in paediatric (children) and geriatric (elderly people) usage it is usually prescribed as 0.0625 mg or 62.5rg g (a quarter of the dose). There is also the 0.125 mg or 125 g strength. To be able to explain this clearly is vital when checking during busy drug rounds to avoid potentially fatal overdoses (from experience over twenty six years of supervising student and pupil nurses in wards and schools of nursing).

According to the present invention, the aid initially is printed on coloured or white paper card and could be produced on plastic boards or by multimedia methods. Instructions and information are printed or embossed on the outside.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 indicates the layout as on Card 1 and the experiment as on Card 2.

Figure 2 indicates the multiplication tables, one subsection and the millimetre scale.

Figure 3 indicates two subsections and the centimetre scale.

N.B. Finer detail could not be shown.

The cube shape is cut out, folded and fastened together with the tabs 7 using glue, adhesive tape, lugs, magnetism, etc. to make a box of specified dimensions with an openable lid, capable of containing a plastic bag with 1000 ml of water and the whole being placed on domestic food scales.

Inside the cube can be stored the set of information cards 1-6, plastic bag 8, bands 12, instruction leaflets, etc.

The paper card can be laminated with plastic film on one or both sides to increase resistance to water, soiling, crumpling, general wear and tear, and writing applied by the learner.

The plastic bag 8 can be used for sales purposes, the experiment to demonstrate the volume/length/ weight correlation, and then storage of the aid and its accessories. With the lower corners pushed inwards and flattened downwards, the bag can hold water accurately in the hollow cube.

The test equipment can be found in most households and may be reasonably accurate, eg. measuring jug and food weighing scales.

The plastic bag 8 shows a warning of the danger of suffocation if used near small children.

The three moveable bands 12 in eg. rubber or yarn, can be used around the aid to outline various sections for easy visualisation, as in Figure 2 and Card 4.

Claims (37)

CLAT8S

1. A basic metric and maths learning aid initially printed on coloured or white paper card or produced on plastic boards or by multimedia methods. Instructions and information are printed or embossed on the outside.

2 The cube shape is cut out, folded and fastened together with the tabs 7 using glue, adhesive tape, lugs, magnetism, etc to make a box of specified dimensions with an openable lid, capable of containing a plastic bag with 1000 ml of water and the whole being placed on domestic food scales.

Inside the cube can be stored the set of information cards 1-6, plastic bag 8, bands 12, instruction leaflets, etc.

The paper card can be laminated with plastic film on one or both sides to increase resistance to water, soiling, crumpling, general wear and tear, and writing applied by the learner.

The plastic bag 8 can be used for sales purposes, the experiment to demonstrate the volume/length/weight correlation, and then the storage of the aid and its accessories. With the lower corners pushed inwards and flattened downwards, the bag can hold water accurately in the hollow cube.

The test equipment can be found in most households and may be reasonably accurate, eg. measuring jug and food weighing scales.

The plastic bag 8 shows a warning of the danger of suffocation if used near small children.

The three moveable bands 12 in eg. rubber or yarn, can be used around the aid to outline various sections for easy visualisation, as in Figure 2 Card 4.

The edges of the aid may be used as a cumulative ruler for centimetres as in Figure 3 Face B 16, and millimetres on the corner of Faces C,D,E.

The aid may be disassembled for flat storage.

The aid is designed to be lightweight but firm, and should be manufactured easily and inexpensively in materials which are safe for children to use, eg. paper card, flat rigid plastic boards, multimedia visualisation, etc.

The crux of the invention is the relationship of lengths to cubes, volumes and weights, which is not immediately obvious and may be very helpful in everyday living.

2. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 1 wherein the practical everyday relationships between length, weight and volume are emphasized, allowing reference to the modern coherent S.I. units plus the derived units, and their history.

3. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 2 wherein the aim is to reach all age groups over about three years of age (it is CE marked) with information to different depths for children, adults and especially elderly people, at their different stages of mental development and education, different cultures and languages, and whether healthy or handicapped in any way.

4. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 3 wherein skills of cutting out, bending, sticking, assembling with glue, adhesive tape, lugs or magnetism, etc. give early encouragement and time for initial familiarisation, using usually two hands with ten digits. See Figure 1 Card 1.

5. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 4 wherein the lower corners of the plastic bag 8 can be pushed inwards and flattened downwards into a gussetted shape, so that the bag fits the bottom and sides of the cube closely: a measured volume of water 10 can be poured into the bag 8 and the cube can be placed on domestic food scales 9 so that the correlation of lengths, volume and weight be made with some degree of accuracy, ie. a litre (1000 cubic centimetres) of water measures 100 x 100 x 100 mm cubically and weighs a kilogram (1000 g).

Other substances such as cereal flakes or grains, dried peas, etc. may be used in place of the benchmark water to compare densities. Water equates to wet foods such as meat and tinned foodstuffs.

6. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 5 wherein the senses involved in touch, weight appreciation, sight with three dimensional visualisation, etc. are encouraged, leading to spacial awareness, measurement and computation.

7. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 6 wherein plastic lamination of the paper card if applied and the surface of any stiff plastic version, can be cleaned easily, encouraging frequent and fresh participation with pencils, pens, magnets, putty, paper templates and overlays, and this coating also reduces the effects of adverse climatic conditions and rough handling.

8. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 7 wherein arrowed instructions encourage logical learning, revision and testing, leading to many other mathematical skills which will require formal study. Three dimensional routes of thought are encouraged, in forward and backward directions.

9. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 8 wherein the information is in numerate rather than literate style to overcome language barriers, possibly worldwide and beyond, (N.A.S.A.).

10. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 9 wherein "sets" of information can be sought, eg. information cards, small circles, specific numbers, arrows of different sizes, etc. to develop accurate observation at any age.

11. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 10 wherein related dimensions and shapes, ag. alice 15, stick 14 and cube 13 can be seen in printed tints or embossed, etc. as in Figures 2 and 3, Faces A,B,B,C. Other concepts can be developed by the learner.

12. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 11 wherein length, weight and volume can be seen, felt and imagined, because a cubic metre of water weighs one tonne, a four-metre car can weigh 1-1.5 tonnes, and large lorries can carry loads of over 40 tonnes.

13. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 12 wherein with water in the plastic bag 8, when it is lifted out of the cube, volume and weight in static and moving state can be shown. Also different flow rates may be demonstrated.

14. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 13 wherein the aid can be used as a cumulative ruler, using the edges marked in centimetres 16 in Figure 3 and millimetres in Figure 2 13.

15. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 14 wherein the Metric System is used for division, multiplication, addition and subtraction, in linear and circular modes, as in Figure 1 Card 5 (details not shown).

16. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 15 wherein apparent subdivision into cubic centimetres and cubic millimetres is encouraged and subsequent subdivision is to be imagined, and then reverse multiplication to the other extreme is seen to be possible, eg. cubic picometres to cubic Terametres as in Figure 1 Card 6, enabling similar understanding of the other S.I. units and their complex derived units.

17. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 16 wherein the other basic units in the S.I. system, eg. candela, and the derived units might be made easier at the start.

18. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 17 wherein the practical appreciation of point, linear, square and cubic dimensions may be explored, in relation to length, weight and volume in different shapes, for solids and fluids, as in Figure 1 Card 5.

19. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 18 wherein proportions can be seen and related to the learner's experience, as in Figure 1 Card 1, faces B,D,E (details not shown).

20. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 19 wherein multiplication tables up to 10 x 10, squared, and 10 x 10 x 10, cubed, can be seen or visualised with the bands 12 to outline the areas and volumes, to confirm rote learning and appreciate its speedy efficiency. See Figure 2 Card 4, Faces C,D,E.

21. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 20 wherein the jump in decimals by 1000 intended in the S.I.System is encouraged, rather than just 10 or 100, and the further ranges of the scale either side of 1 (unit) are stated from Tere- to pico-for all the basic 5.1. units, etc. in Fig 1 Card 6.

22. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 21 wherein the tinted or embossed strip of Face D can be used to build up and demonstrate the binary system, eg. 10010 = 18, which is used by the majority of computers and multimedia systems.

23. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 22 wherein fractions and cancelling are related to the other information on the cube, etc. and to the learner's experience, eg. Figure 1 Card 5 and Faces BgtcxD.E.

24. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 23 Therein percentages can be seen and related to the learner's experience, which is especially useful as a lead-in for elderly learners.

25. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 24 wherein by using two of the hands 12 as X and Y axes, with penwork or adhesive putty, etc. at the points of intersection, simple graphs may be made and read: Ordnance Survey Grid numbers and locations, latitude and longitude, etc. can then be developed.

26. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 25 wherein geometry can be explored, such as squares, rectangles, triangles, circles with radii and diameters, etc. and outlined areas can be counted to check on calculations and answers, perhaps using paper templates. Pythagoras' Theorem for the area of the square on the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle of 3/4/5 propartions can quickly be checked. Circles can lead to clockfaces, protractors, compass N/S/E/W and 3600, percentages and pie diagrams, etc.

27. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 26 wherein algebra could be started. One example of a serial equation is shown on Face C.

28. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 27 wherein trigonometry can be started and surveying could be explored for changes in range, height and area, using an attached pendulum when required. Simple proportions could be used, leading to the complexities of trigonometry, using two of the six quantities of a triangle, and using printed tables to find the others.

29. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 28 wherein by mapping from one place to another on the cube, the route could be converted to algebra through formulae, and then manipulated.

30. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 29 wherein changing perspective in three dimensions can be seen around the cube, and perspective drawing be made easy. See Figure 2 Card 4.

31. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 30 wherein other constructional materials and methods could be developed, including large sculptures, perhaps hollow, multimedia creation, transmission and interaction, etc.

32. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 31 wherein written material, instructional audio/videotapes or multimedia methods could be produced for any version of the aid.

33. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 32 wherein the aid could be the subject for practical tests, multiple choice and written examinations in many ways, at many levels.

34. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 33 wherein the aid could be used for simple eye tests by ordinary people, anywhere in the world,to detect faults in vision, initiate the provision of vision aids, and stop the educational handicap of poor sight early in childhood and at all stages in life, in order to maintain lifelong learning and maximum personal efficiency.

35. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 34 wherein it could be produced in stiff plastic, in sections which could be clipped together by lugs or magnetic means, etc.

carefully spaced and different for each edge for accurate assembly by visually handicapped people, the information to be embossed, etc. in one of the several written languages such as Braille, accompanied by an instructional audiotape in several languages as needed. It could also be used by blindfolded sighted people to experience the difficulties of such learning.

36. A basic metric and maths learning aid as in Claim 35 wherein different formats might to developed to integrate with measurements and languages in cultures other than Western, for example Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Russian, etc.

37. A basic metric and maths learning aid substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-3 in the accompanying drawing.