Designing and building a model teaches math concepts and sharpens practical skills from basic arithmetic, measurement and scale to geometry, trigonometry and spatial relations. The 3-D Home Kit is used in thousands of middle and high schools. Since 1993, the kit has been used as the basis for the Architecture and Mathematics Workshop at the SummerMath program at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Below are notes from the workshop. SummerMath SummerMath at Mount Holyoke College develops new approaches to teach and learn mathematics.
Students are in eighth through twelfth grade and have a wide range of math skills.
Explore architectural design and mathematics by planning and building a cardboard model of your own design. Solar energy, topography and other site evaluation criteria will also be discussed and incorporated into the design process. Problem solving will involve both individual and group work. Time Students and teacher have twenty minutes to make a sketch or diagram of their home, room or place they like to spend time. The illustrations are hung on the wall and then each student and the teacher introduce themselves and discuss their sketch and ideas on home design.