3Doodler City (Area and Perimeter)

Time Required: Three-four 45 minute sessions
Skill Level: Intermediate
Recommended Grades: 6th to 8th

In this activity, students will work in small groups to brainstorm and design a city comprised of shapes. Each 2D shape will be assembled to create the city's houses, buildings, towers and bridges. During the design phase of the project, students will draft shapes on graph paper to use as stencils for the 3Doodling phase of this project. This real-world, hands-on project combines math, problem solving, collaboration and technology.

Note: Any links outside of the3doodler.com are optional resources. We can’t ensure their upkeep or accuracy.

Lesson Plan

Instructions

Step 1

Students brainstorm places found in a city, e.g., roads, buildings, towers, bridges, library, museum, courthouse, stores, restaurants, etc. Record their responses.

Step 2

Share the goal: Students will be designing and constructing a city with a 3Doodler.

Step 3

Instruct students to define the following terms: line, line segment, parallel lines, perpendicular lines, angle, vertex, acute angles, obtuse angles, square. Chart their responses. Assess for understanding. Correct misconceptions when needed.

Step 4

Ask students to identify the following 3D shapes and note which 2D shapes comprise them: cube, prism, pyramid, cylinder, cone, sphere.

Step 5

Divide students into 8 groups and assign one area of the city to each group. *See City Planning Pages.

Step 6

Students work in groups to brainstorm 3-4 facilities, homes, buildings or bridges relevant to their assigned area of the city on the City Planning Pages. Check their work.

Step 7

Model how to design stencils for a structure: Determine the 3D shape of your structure. Identify the shapes it's composed of and draw these shapes as stencils on graph paper. Label each shape-stencil to identify its purpose, e.g., front of building, side of building, left roof, right roof.

Step 8

Model how to 3Doodle stencils and weld all shapes to assemble them.

Step 9

Set criteria for design dimensions, so that houses, buildings, bridges, etc. are uniform in size relation to one another, e.g., homes: 4-5" tall, buildings: 8-10" inches tall, bridges 8-10" inches long.

Step 10

Hand out graph paper and pencils for students to design stencils. Check each group's stencils before handing out 3Doodlers.

Step 11

After buildings have been 3Doodled and assembled, instruct students to design a road system to connect all 8 parts of the city.

Step 12

Students must calculate the area and perimeter of each building, home or facility their group created.

Wrap Up

Ask students to share feedback. What did they find most challenging about this project? If they could add to their part of the city, what would they like to pursue? Students share their 3Doodled cities on Twitter #3DoodlerEDU

Assessment

Review student’s work and participation in discussions to determine their level of understanding.

Possible Extensions

Students create promotional materials as advertisements for tourism. Students write a persuasive article about why this is the best city to visit in America.

Resources

City Planning Pages

Names of your group's city planners:

Under your group's section of the city, note 4 structures that your group will design and construct together. *Include the name of the facility and a one or two line description of what happens there.
*Do not need to do this for homes.

1) Main Street (restaurants and shopping):

a.

b.

c.

d.

2) suburban setting (houses and school):

a.

b.

c.

d.

3) financial district (banking and investment):

a.

b.

c.

d.

4) industrial park (factories and technology businesses):

a.

b.

c.

d.

5) cultural center (museums, sights and tourism):

a.

b.

c.

d.

6) government facilities (courthouse, post office, roads, reservoirs, hospital):
a.

b.

c.

d.

7) parks and recreation (zoos, parks, sports and music venues):
a.

b.

c.

d.

8) entertainment (theaters, shows, anything related to the arts.
a.

b.

c.

d.

Vocabulary

  • acute angle - An angle that measures less than ninety degrees but more than zero degrees.

  • angle - the (rotational) space between two intersecting lines.

  • cone - a three-dimensional shape for which the base, usually circular, extends to a point.

  • cube - a regular three-dimensional shape composed of six square faces.

  • cylinder - a three-dimensional shape composed of an extruded oval, usually a circle, such as a tin can.

  • line - an infinite extent which is one-dimensional and straight.

  • line segment - a finite section of line with two end-points.

  • obtuse angles - Angles larger than 90 degrees.

  • parallel lines - two lines which are always the same distance apart.

  • perpendicular lines - two lines which intersect at a right angle.

  • prism - a solid geometric figure whose two end faces are similar, equal, and parallel rectilinear figures, and whose sides are parallelograms.

  • pyramid - a three-dimensional shape with a flat-sided base and otherwise triangular sides which meet at the apex (one point)

  • sphere - a three-dimensional shape for which every point on its surface is equidistant from its center, such as a ball.

  • square - a two-dimensional shape with four sides of equal length and four right angles.

  • vertex - an angular point of a shape.

Educational Standards

Common Core
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.G.B.3

Understand that attributes belonging to a category of two-dimensional figures also belong to all subcategories of that category. For example, all rectangles have four right angles and squares are rectangles, so all squares have four right angles.

In This Lesson

Students will identify and draft 2D shapes to assemble as 3D homes, buildings, facilities, etc. with 3Doodler.

Common Core
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.A.3

Apply the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles in real world and mathematical problems. For example, find the width of a rectangular room given the area of the flooring and the length, by viewing the area formula as a multiplication equation with an unknown factor.

In This Lesson

Students will calculate area and perimeter of building, facilities and structures from their group's part of the city.

Next Gen Science
3-5-ETS1-1

Define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system and includes several criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

In This Lesson

Students will work with their group to design a segment of the city based on the setting criteria, e.g., cultural, industrial, etc. and dimensions.

Next Gen Science
3-5-ETS1-2

Engineering Design Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

In This Lesson

Students will brainstorm ideas for structures that are relevant to their group's assigned segment of the city.

CS Teachers
1A-A-5-3

Plan and create a design document to illustrate thoughts, ideas, and stories in a sequential (step-by-step) manner (e.g., story map, storyboard, sequential graphic organizer).

In This Lesson

Students will plan/sketch their group's buildings on graph paper to use later as stencils for 3Doodling during construction.

CS Teachers
1A-A-3-5

Decompose (break down) a larger problem into smaller sub-problems with teacher guidance or independently.

In This Lesson

Students will break down the process of designing and building a city into a series of smaller tasks: brainstorming, planning, sketching, 3Doodling, welding, placement of structures and roads.

ISTE
1C

Use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

In This Lesson

Students will use the 3Doodler to create a city.

ISTE
6B

Create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

In This Lesson

Students will create a city with a 3Doodler.

ISTE
7A

Use collaborative technologies to work with others, including peers, experts or community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple viewpoints.

In This Lesson

Students will seek feedback from their partners as they plan, design and construct with 3Doodler.

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