Literacy

          Symbols/Symbol Systems: Students will use a variety of symbol systems through the unit. The most familiar form of encoding and decoding with symbols will be used when the students read the sample proposals and their textbooks (decode) and write their proposals (encode).  Students visual literacy will also be enhanced as they learn to "read" and "write" using the following Geometric symbols and concepts: coordinate grid {ordered pairs, latitude and longitude, x and y axis}, lines {line segment, line, ray, intersecting, perpendicular, parallel} angles, {acute, obtuse, right, degrees, measuring, protractors} shapes-{polygon, triangle, quadrilaterals, parallelogram, square, rectangle, rhombus, trapezoid, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, decagon, congruency, symmetry, slide, turn, flip).

          Cognitive Processes: Students will be comparing, analyzing, and interpreting data throughout this unit. They will recognize trends and patterns in design and discuss why these patterns exist. In addition, They will be developing and defending their proposals and designs. 

          Discourse: Students will be using various forms of geometric discourse throughout the unit as way to understand what an architectural consultant needs to know.  These forms include, map reading, scaled drawings, and 3-D model making. In addition, students will examine forms of consulting discourse that goes with being a architect.  This includes proposal writing, social interaction with clients, and oral presentations with visuals.

Problem-Solving

          Authentic Problem: Why are schools so crowded? Are there enough bathrooms?  Do all schools have enough space in the hallways and classrooms?  Could changing the design of a school improve education?  Can students have a say in how a new school will be designed?  The answer to the last question is "yes".  Students can become architectural consultants and design schools that they believe would be most conducive to their own learning.  Who better to decide in what environment children learn best then children?  The authentic problem of this unit therefore is for students to create an architectural proposal to share with a community action group for a "perfect school".  The action group will be looking to recruit architectural consultants that produce well designed proposals, drawings, and models to share with the school board at their next meeting.  Before students even begin their proposals however they must prove they have the background knowledge that is needed to be an affective architectural consultant. Students will need to complete the following activities to earn their senior level-consultant card. Once they have this card they my begin designing their own schools.  First Week: Locate an appropriate place for their school using ordered pairs (Latitude and Longitude) on a scaled county map. Completion of this activity results in student receiving level-one architectural consultant card (2nd and 3rd week).  The art teacher presents an interior design challenge to the students to create a mural for the new school.  This mural will contain the following geometric concepts: point, line, line segment, ray, intersecting, parallel, perpendicular, planes, obtuse angles, right angles, and acute angles.  Completion of this activity will result in level-two architectural consultant card (4th week).  The classroom teacher asks students to design a new classroom layout using a variety of different shaped tables. These tables are the shape of the following polygons; triangle, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagon, octagon, and decagon. Completion of this activity will result in level-three architectural consultant card (5th week).  The P.E. Teacher asks students to draw a scaled drawing for a new playground and create a 3-D model to represent this model.  This playground will incorporate the concepts of area, perimeter, congruency, flips, turns and slides. Completion of this activity will result in an advanced level consultant card (6th week).  Upon receiving their advanced card, student will begin the design of their final "perfect school" proposal, drawing, and model.  Completion of this activity will result in an senior level consultant card and the chance to share their proposal and presentation with the class and a community representative. 

          Strategies: Students will be using a variety of problem-solving strategies during each stage on their way to becoming a senior consultant. These strategies include, analyzing, comparing, contrasting, distinguishing, Synthesizing, creating, developing, and designing. 

Knowledge

          Disciplinary Structures: Geometric concepts including- coordinate grid {ordered pairs, latitude and longitude, x and y axis} lines-{line segment, line, ray, intersecting, perpendicular, parallel} angles {acute, obtuse, right, degrees, measuring, protractors} shapes {polygon, triangle, quadrilaterals, parallelogram, square, rectangle, rhombus, trapezoid, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, decagon, congruency, similar, symmetry, slide, turn, flip, area, perimeter, ratio and proportion) proposal writing and presenting.

          Disciplinary Processes: -reading and creating maps, measuring and drawing angles, lines, and shapes, drawing maps and models using ratio's and proportions, -writing and presenting a proposal.

          Disciplinary Discourse: Geometry, 3D models, maps, scaled drawings, proposals.

Using Information

          Throughout this unit, students will be be using the SSCC model of gathering and sharing knowledge. This model includes, searching, sorting, creating, and communicating information. In order for students to effectively communicate their learning, students will be following the DEAPR acronym when creating and constructing their various projects.  During this process students will be designing, encoding, assembling, publishing, and reporting.

Community

Authentic Activities

A1: locate and study the building site 

A2a: study a variety of contents and become content experts 

A2b: make interior design recommendations 

A3: draw scale drawings using different shapes 

A4: create plans using congruent and non-congruent shapes and figures keeping in mind area and perimeter 

A5a: produce materials to show clients their plans 

A5b: make presentations of their final designs to clients 

          Anchored Problem.  Because of the recent concern with overcrowding and the need to make our school more up-to-date with today's changing society, a community action group is being formed in the neighborhood. This group would like to present the superintendent with proposals for a new school building. This is where they need your help. You are being recruited to become an architectural consultant and design a "perfect school." Before even beginning your design however, you must prove that you have what it takes to be an architect. To do this you will be required to complete the following authentic activities: 

A1 (First Week) Locate an appropriate place for your school using ordered pairs (Latitude and Longitude) on a scaled county map. Completion of this activity results in student receiving level-one architectural consultant card. 

 

A2: (2nd and 3rd week) Art Teacher presents challenge to students to create a mural for the new school. This mural will contain the following geometric concepts: point, line, line segment, ray, intersecting, parallel, perpendicular, planes, obtuse angles, right angles, and acute angles,. Completion of this activity will result in -still working on what's below- 

 

4th week- classroom teacher needs a new class layout using different polygons. triangle, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagon, octagon, and decagon. 

 

5th week PE Teacher needs a playground designed. This playground will incorporate the concepts of area, perimeter, symmetry, congruency, similar, flip, slide, turn. 

 

Week 6- design school and share projects with community representative. School design will contain Drawings need to include office library gym cafeteria bathrooms at least 10 classrooms scaled drawing, 3-d model,

Background Building Activities

Find a Location

B1a: Student will read activity 7.12 in math book and complete textbook and workbook activity on graphing ordered pairs. (Lesson 7.12) 

B1b: Read pages x-y in their social studies on latitude and longitude 

B1c: Students will use the internet site "mapquest" to locate the latitude and longitude of the county in which they live. 

B1d: Do a teacher-created worksheet with sample locating questions using a sample map 

B1e: Students will examine a map of the county schools and discuss the possible criteria used for placing the schools. 

Create a Mural

B2a As a whole group, exam a variety of paintings constructed by cubists (samples to be obtained from art teacher) and discuss the role of shapes, lines, and angles 

B2b:Students will use body and hand motions to identify the concepts of point (ex-closed fist), line segment, line, ray, intersecting, perpendicular, parallel, acute, obtuse, and right angles. 

B2c Students will complete lessons 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 in their math books. 

B2d Students will use geoboards and web page (http://mathforum.org/trscavo/geoboards/geobd2.html) to help identify the concepts of point line segment, line, ray, intersecting, perpendicular, parallel, acute, obtuse, and right angle. 

B2e Students will learn to use a protractor to measure and draw angles through a teacher lead demonstration. 

B2f: In small groups, students assigned a picture and asked to list and measure shapes, lines, and angles.

Design a Classroom:

B3a: Students will sketch their classroom using shapes to represent desks, tables, chairs and discuss why the room was set up in this fashion. 

B3b: Class discussion on relating shapes to everyday symbols (octopus-octagon). B3c: Students will complete lesson 4.4, 4.5, and 4.6 in their math books and complete accompanying worksheets. Design a school Playground: 

B4a:Students will read and complete worksheet lessons 4.9(symmetry) 4.10(congruency-slides,flips, turns), 4.11 (similar figures), 12.2 (Perimeter), 12.4 (Area) in their math books. 

B4b: Class will measure different areas of their schools playground and record their area and perimeter on a class chart and discuss location of various areas of playground. (ex. swings, blacktop, playing fields)

B4c-Students will use graph paper to design a playground to scale. Each area of the playground will be labeled with area and perimeter. This playground will incorporate the concepts of area, perimeter, symmetry, congruency, similar, flip, slide, turn. 

Create a written proposal, drawing, and 3D model of the perfect school: 

B5a: Students will ask an expert via email about the contents of an architectural proposal. 

B5b: Students will look at various examples of these types of proposals. 

B5c: Students will explore architectural designs on the internet using these websites.

Constructing Activities

Find a Location

C1a Students will draw maps of their county with latitude and longitude lines and locate an appropriate place for their school. 

C1b: Students will write a rationale for their choice of location. 

Create a Mural

C2a: Students will create a draft of their mural using the Microsoft Draw program. 

C2b Student will work in groups of 4 to draw a large mural for the front hallway of their school. In their drawings must include examples of line segment, line, ray, intersecting, perpendicular, parallel, acute, obtuse, and right angles. 

Design a Classroom

C3a: Students will work in groups of two to create a draft (pencil/paper) of their classroom layout using different polygons, triangle, quadrilaterals, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, and decagon. 

C3b: Students will work in groups of two and create their final classroom design using Microsoft Draw.

Creating a Playground Model

C4a: Students will use scaled drawing to construct a poster model of their playground using pipe cleaners.

C4b: Students will write a one page rationale for their playground. 

Designing a proposal for the "perfect" school

C5a: Students will write a 2 page proposal describing their school with rational backing up their design.

C5b: Students will create a scaled architectural drawing of their school. 

C5c: Students will create a 3-D model of their school.

Sharing Activities

 

S1 - Students will present their school site on a large class map and explain why they chose the location of their school. 

S2 - Students murals will be displayed in the classroom. Each group will have a chance to share with the rest of the class their murals and explain it's components. 

S3 - Students will print their classroom designs share them in small groups then display their designs on a classroom bulletin board. 

S4 - Students will share their posters and their one page rationals with the class. 

S5 - Students will share their proposals, drawings and 3-D models with the class and community representative.

Math

5.8 The student will describe and determine the perimeter of a polygon and the area of a square, rectangle, and right triangle, given the appropriate measures. 

 

5.10 The student will differentiate between perimeter, area, and volume and identify whether the application of the concept of perimeter, area, or volume is appropriate for a given situation. 

 

5.13 The student will measure and draw right, acute, and obtuse angles and triangles, using appropriate tools. 

 

5.14 The student will classify angles and triangles as right, acute, or obtuse. 

 

5.15 The student, using two-dimensional (plane) figures (square, rectangle, triangle, parallelogram, rhombus, kite, and trapezoid) will a) recognize, identify, describe, and analyze their properties in order to develop definitions of these figures; b) identify and explore congruent, non-congruent, and similar figures; c) investigate and describe the results of combining and subdividing shapes; 

 

5.16 The student will identify, compare, and analyze properties of three-dimensional (solid) geometric shapes (cylinder, cone, cube, square pyramid, and rectangular prism). 

Computer Technology

5.4 The student will communicate through application software. Create a 1-2 page document using word processing skills, writing process steps, and publishing programs. Use simple computer graphics and integrate graphics into word-processed documents. Create simple databases and spreadsheets to manage information and create reports. Use local and worldwide network communication systems. 

 

5.3 The student will make planned oral presentations. * Determine appropriate content for audience. Organize content sequentially or around major ideas. Summarize main points before or after presentation. Incorporate visual aids to support the presentation. 

 

5.7 The student will write for a variety of purposes to describe, to inform, to entertain, and to explain. Choose planning strategies for various writing purposes. Organize information. Use vocabulary effectively. Vary sentence structure. Revise writing for clarity. Edit final copies for grammar, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation, especially the use of possessives and quotation marks. 

Research 

5.8 The student will synthesize information from a variety of resources. Skim materials to develop a general overview of content or to locate specific information. Develop notes that include important concepts, paraphrases, summaries, and identification of information sources. Organize and record information on charts, maps, and graphs. Use available electronic databases to access information. Credit secondary reference sources.