Description ♣ A New Kind of Very Special Math Book—Without the Math Starting in 2013 with grades 1 and 2, the revision of Korea's elementary math textbooks was completed through grades 5 and 6 by 2015. The core focus of this revised curriculum is undoubtedly "storytelling." Textbooks that once demanded only correct answers have shifted toward helping children understand mathematical principles and concepts in an enjoyable way, and further, to build their capacity for thinking. As a result, creative problems designed to develop mathematical communication and problem-solving skills now make up a much larger share of the curriculum. Even so, math remains the most stressful subject for many elementary school children. Even a creative problem can feel overwhelming if the explanation runs four or five lines or more, and after facing such problems again and again, math can start to feel like something to fear. There is no math inside Math Without Math. And yet, this is a book that will help children become great friends with math. Flip through its pages and you won't find any of the complicated formulas or confusing explanations that so often intimidate children. Instead, this book simply invites kids to pick up a ruler, a protractor, and a compass and draw along, just like an art class. Draw a circle with a compass, color in the overlapping area between two circles, and a flower petal appears. Draw dozens of lines with a ruler, and suddenly a perfect circle emerges. Move across a grid according to a set of numbers, and a spiral takes shape. There are simple activities like drawing an "impossible triangle," dividing squares, and creating a regular hexagon, as well as more unusual-sounding but surprisingly approachable topics like the Sierpinski triangle, the Stomachion puzzle, the Koch snowflake, and fractals. This book will help children approach fundamental math concepts in a way that's easier and much more fun. ♣ Where Math Meets Art At first glance, math and art may seem like polar opposites with nothing in common. Math Without Math proves that, in fact, they are very closely connected. As children learn math, they encounter all kinds of shapes—circles, squares, triangles, and more. When these shapes come together, they form beautiful patterns, and when bright colors are added, they become art. Pattern and structured variation are essential elements in both math and art, and our brains are especially good at recognizing the shapes and patterns that emerge from these consistent structures—whether in math or in art. This book gently guides children to pick up a pencil, not to solve math problems, but to create their own wonderful drawings. By drawing simple, engaging pictures step by step, children naturally grow closer to math. Extra blank pages are even included at the back of the book for children to draw freely. This is a one-of-a-kind art book—and, at the same time, a truly fun and refreshingly new kind of math book. ♣ Trusted and Thoroughly Vetted Content Author Anna Weltman, who worked as an elementary school teacher in the United States, spent years researching ways to help children connect with math through drawing before completing this book. The Korean edition was translated by the editor-in-chief of Math Donga, a specialized math magazine, and further reviewed by Professor Lee Kwang-yeon to ensure accuracy and reliability. Professor Lee teaches mathematics at Hanseo University and is an author of the 7th National Curriculum's middle and high school math textbooks.