Type of Class:

            High School Geometry Class, any level 

Related VA SOL:  G.12 

Time Frame:
           90-minute block period

 Objectives:

  • Students will be able to draw 2-dimensional drawings from 3-dimensional figures.
  • Students will be able to make 3-dimensional figures from 2-dimensional drawings.
  • Students will be able to find the surface area of a 3-dimensional figure from the figure and from its two dimensional drawing.
  • Students will be able to use Geometer’s Sketchpadâ to create their own isometric paper and draw a 2-dimensional figure.

Materials:

  • Square cubes for each group
  • Isometric paper
  • Computer for each student (or pairs) with Geometer’s Sketchpadâ

Procedures:

  1. Put students in groups of three or four and give them the “How Do You Build These” worksheet and enough blocks to make all the different figures. You may have to review surface area.
  2. Next have students build a structure (as a group) with the square blocks and have students make a two dimensional drawing of the structure.  They need to use at least 9 blocks in their building. They should draw the figure from three different perspectives. Ask students to find the surface area of the figure. 
  3. Have each student draw a two dimensional structure of at least 9 blocks on their own isometric paper.  Let them be creative (i.e., not just one straight figure 9 blocks high). 
  4. Have each student pass their drawing to the person on their right.  Have that student build the structure and compute its surface area.
  5. Put students (preferably individually, but pairs would work) at a computer with Geometer’s Sketchpadâ.  Ask students to create their own isometric graph paper and construct their own skyscraper.1  Students should use color and creativity in their skyscraper.  Require students to find the surface area of their building using Geometer’s Sketchpadâ features. 
  6. Have students attempt to create one different perspective of their building on Sketchpadâ.  Once finished, have students build their building using the blocks.  Have other groups assess their building and drawing.

Assessment:

Students should be assessed on their final product from Geometer’s Sketchpad, as well as on how they worked as a group during the first part of the activity.  Their work should be graded on how well they completed the task, how neatly their work is done, and how creative they were in their final product.

Suggestions/Comments:

As a class, you may want to discuss what the isometric paper looks like (made of equilateral triangles or how one point is the same distance from any three points around it).  Students should be familiar prior to this exercise of how to create equilateral triangles, but if not, then you may want to spend the rest of the time for the day talking about how to construct equilateral triangles on Geometer’s Sketchpadâ. 

Resources:

[1] Chanan, Steven, Ed. (2000).  101 Project Ideas for the Geometer’s Sketchpadâ. CA: Key Curriculum Press.