FACTS Design Model“Geometric Architects”

Oscar Castillo

EDTC6341 - Student Centered Learning

The University of Texas at Brownsville

“Geometric Architects”

• High School

• The students will be general building contractors

• This should be a 2 week unit

• Concepts addressed are ratio, proportion, similarity of polygons, perimeter, area, and volume.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/10/30/realestate/30nati2.xl.jpg

Synopsis

• Architects and General Contractors

• Analyze, design, create, and expand on a model house meeting criteria

• Quizzes/instructor check for understanding will take place

• Present their final project in an “Open House”

Foundations

http://www.prlog.org/10274220-effective-concrete-foundation-design-drawings-at-low-cost.jpg

Authentic Problem

• The government has found the need to produce affordable housing for low-income families in the area

• The requirements by the government

• one story

• single family house

• 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1 garage

• approximately between 1000 sq ft and 950 sq ft

Problem Solving

• Real life situations

• Analytical thinking

• Having to research

• Develop skills in order to move forward

• Tying in underlying concepts to project

• Go through the steps as a real architect would

Knowledge

• This unit focuses on the construction industry

– Architecture

– Construction

– Local government

• Talk to a local general contractor

• Interpret house/construction plans

Literacy

• Symbols

– Specific representations make it easy

– Importance of meaning behind certain things

• Discourse

– Being able to back up your logic

– Having consistency

• Cognitive processes

– Illustrations on different medias

– Hands on construction

Activities

Authentic Activities

• The students will research and compare and contrast several house plans through the usage of a Venn Diagram

Background Building Activities

• The students will view a walkthrough video of a new house and have a discussion of what they liked, didn't like, would change (YouTube: houseplangallery hpg-1635)

Activities (cont.)

Constructing Activities

• The students will present, with any creative

means of their choice, to the public the overall outcome of the unit, accentuating on any geometrical relationships within their design

Sharing Activities• The student will interchange their building

designs with a classmate which they then will construct

Tools

• Skills software (Google SketchUp)

• Internet    

– youtube.com (if unblocked)

– houseplangallery.com  

– architectmagazine.com

• Storage Media Devices

• Projector/peripherals 

• Text books/print

• Magazines

• School supplies

Example.

Choosing the right materials for construction.

Concept addressed.

Similarity of figures.

Similar figures have the same shape not necessarily the same size.

A

D

B

C

E F

GH

Rectangle ABCD ≈ Rectangle EFGH

AD = 1AB = 2

EH = 0.5EF = 1

EH/AD = 0.5EF/AB = 0.5

If

Then

The design call for the following wall dimensions.

3

5

Which piece of balsa wood will you pickfrom the stack of wood?

9

15

6

12

1.5

3

10

16

Assessment

• Final Unit Exam

• Quizzes ending a section

• Timeline

• Teacher observations

Challenges Faced

• Students just wanting to build

• Misusing time/supplies

• Getting caught up on details

The knowledge taking home, …

• Practical uses of geometry

• Time constraints (deadline)

• Having to follow a set requirements

– Local government (building permits)

– Licensing by state

Most Importantly, …

• Something they can take home and show off

Thank you, …

Appendix

Content

§111.34. Geometry(4) Geometric structure. The student uses a variety of representations to describe geometric relationships and solve problems. The student is expected to select an appropriate representation (concrete, pictorial, graphical, verbal, or symbolic) in order to solve problems. (5) Geometric patterns. The student uses a variety of representations to describe geometric relationships and solve problems. The student is expected to:(A) use numeric and geometric patterns to develop algebraic expressions representing geometric properties; (B) use numeric and geometric patterns to make generalizations about geometric properties, including properties of polygons, ratios in similar figures and solids, and angle relationships in polygons and circles;(11) Similarity and the geometry of shape. The student applies the concepts of similarity to justify properties of figures and solve problems. The student is expected to:(A) use and extend similarity properties and transformations to explore and justify conjectures about geometric figures;(B) use ratios to solve problems involving similar figures;(C) develop, apply, and justify triangle similarity relationships, such as right triangle ratios, trigonometric ratios, and Pythagorean triples using a variety of methods; and(D) describe the effect on perimeter, area, and volume when one or more dimensions of a figure are changed and apply this idea in solving problems.

Link

• http://ocastillo.pbworks.com/6341+Sum+I+2009+-+FACTS+Design+Model+v2(point)0

• Link to FACTS Design online