Meeting The Standards
Standard 1
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
This standard was met through a multi-faceted project involving drafting a floor plan on paper, working through calculations needed for actual construction of walls, researching costs of materials needed, and then building a visual 2D and 3D model on the iPad to represent their finished design plan.
Standard 2
a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
On the iPad, we used the RoomPlanner app as our digital tool for presenting the finished project. Additionally, digital tools were used to research material needs, calculate costs, and view help tips for each step along the way.
Students were able to work independently or with a partner as they creatively designed a house floor plan using their imagination. Constraints on size and wall angles were provided to provide structure and eliminate certain mathematical calculations that students did not need to be working towards understanding at the time.
Standard 3
d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning
As mentioned, students researched material costs to incorporate into their housing cost for walls, floors, and other building materials. In addition, select student groups were challenged in their projects to incorporate room sizes and wall dimensions that would increase difficulty in later calculations. Two resources, Khan Academy and Ten Marks, were provided as suitable math websites that could be used to find help on these more difficult surface area calculations.