About Plato's Playground
About Plato's Playground
Plato's Playground is an AI-backed implementation of a Math club the author, a Ph.D. mathematician, created for his younger daughter's elementary school in 2006. The primary purpose of Plato's Playground was to introduce elementary school-age children to the beauty of Mathematics in a way that had never been done before.
Plato's Playground is an AI-backed implementation of a Math club the author, a Ph.D. mathematician, created for his younger daughter's elementary school in 2006. The primary purpose of Plato's Playground was to introduce elementary school-age children to the beauty of Mathematics in a way that had never been done before.
Mathematical topics are often presented to young children based on the misguided belief that the first things that need to be presented are arithmetic tables: memorize the addition and multiplication tables because young kids are unable to grasp more advanced concepts without a firm knowledge of arithmetic. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, as the success of the author's weekly Math club showed.Â
Mathematical topics are often presented to young children based on the misguided belief that the first things that need to be presented are arithmetic tables: memorize the addition and multiplication tables because young kids are unable to grasp more advanced concepts without a firm knowledge of arithmetic. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, as the success of the author's weekly Math club showed.Â
Plato's Playground consists of over twenty math "projects", each one based on math topics introduced at the undergraduate and graduate school level at the University of California, Berkeley, which the author attended. The Math club included basic concepts of Probability theory, Number systems, the Euler Characteristic, Minimal surfaces, non-orientable surfaces, Logic puzzles, Knot theory, Prime numbers, Fractals, Algebraic geometry and more. And yes, the children, all between the ages of 5 and 9, not only grasped these concepts easily but were thoroughly engaged the entire two hours the club met.
Plato's Playground consists of over twenty math "projects", each one based on math topics introduced at the undergraduate and graduate school level at the University of California, Berkeley, which the author attended. The Math club included basic concepts of Probability theory, Number systems, the Euler Characteristic, Minimal surfaces, non-orientable surfaces, Logic puzzles, Knot theory, Prime numbers, Fractals, Algebraic geometry and more. And yes, the children, all between the ages of 5 and 9, not only grasped these concepts easily but were thoroughly engaged the entire two hours the club met.
What the app covers (so far)
What the app covers (so far)
The Plato's Playground app is in its first version and is currently only available for Android devices. In it, we teach children how to count to 31 on one hand. Don't believe it's possible? Check out the YouTube video that shows how it's done.
The Plato's Playground app is in its first version and is currently only available for Android devices. In it, we teach children how to count to 31 on one hand. Don't believe it's possible? Check out the YouTube video that shows how it's done.
The app starts off with counting using the binary number system, starting with 0 and proceding sequentially to 31. The student is invited to ask questions of their own at any time or to instruct the AI "tutor" to ask them a question in order to test their understanding of the topic. It's a fun topic, since most children don't know that they are able to count higher than five on one hand and they love showing their friends how it's done! Communication with the tutor is done using natural language, either by typing out text or using the microphone; just talk to it as you would with a real person. The tutor can communicate in over 50 languages, including English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
The app starts off with counting using the binary number system, starting with 0 and proceding sequentially to 31. The student is invited to ask questions of their own at any time or to instruct the AI "tutor" to ask them a question in order to test their understanding of the topic. It's a fun topic, since most children don't know that they are able to count higher than five on one hand and they love showing their friends how it's done! Communication with the tutor is done using natural language, either by typing out text or using the microphone; just talk to it as you would with a real person. The tutor can communicate in over 50 languages, including English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
We're working on adding new topics, the next including Minimal surfaces. I won't say anything more about it except that in the Math club, this project really blew the kids' minds!
We're working on adding new topics, the next including Minimal surfaces. I won't say anything more about it except that in the Math club, this project really blew the kids' minds!
How much does Plato's Playground cost and where can I get it?
How much does Plato's Playground cost and where can I get it?
The price is $4.99 per copy and includes unlimited code updates, including bug fixes and additional topics. You may download Plato's Playground from the Google Play store. Elementary schools may download Plato's Playground at no cost. Contact me for details.
The price is $4.99 per copy and includes unlimited code updates, including bug fixes and additional topics. You may download Plato's Playground from the Google Play store. Elementary schools may download Plato's Playground at no cost. Contact me for details.