I'm looking for bunch of nice examples / illustrations / hand-on
experience in Tpology for kids (around 13 y/old).

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 27 Sep 2005 05:24 PDT

I wish the graphics were better, but take a look at this site and let
me know if the examples -- Mobius strip, the handcuffs puzzle, and
linking paper clips -- is the sort of thing you're looking for:


http://www.questacon.edu.au/html/what_is_topology_.html

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Clarification of Question by slovin-ga on 28 Sep 2005 00:33 PDT

Thanks for taking the time!

I know this site and used some of its suggestions. But I'm looking for
something more "mathematical", e.g., Solving probelms (exp. mase)based
on symmetry considerations only, or, taking two distict
shapes/surfaces (in 3D) and showing they're topologycally the same
(homology) by providing the set of steps to migrate from one to
another, etc.

another approach could be using topology "language" to make 2D
representations of objects of heigher dimenssionality...

Thanks,
Zvika

I think a professor from my school may have something that could
provide some physical illustrations / hands-on experience.

There are nice photos of crocheted hyperbolic planes at NPR's site:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4531695

as well as here:
http://eleveneleven.50webs.com/taimina.html

Her homepage can be found here:
http://www.math.cornell.edu/~dtaimina/

hope that helps

Nice website,  pafalafa!

Zvika -

From your clarification, it may not be quite what you're looking for,
but I love the morphing of the London Tube Map:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/maps/realunderground/realunderground.html

This shows how the topological representation that is the standard
version of the map morphs into a geographical representation of the
same routes.