2014-15 Improving Students' Understanding of Geometry Grants Recipient

Shaping the World We Live In

Understanding shapes require students to look at its structure and determine if its form satisfies its function. With the use of accessible technology such as digital CAD programs and 3D printing, students at the middle school level can simulate and prototype real-world products that can improve the quality of life  or even create models of entire communities. No longer will students conceive great ideas and speculate about its effectiveness; they can actually turn those ideas into tangible products that can be tested, analyzed, and improved upon. With this grant, students will not only learn valuable Geometry concepts, but apply them by creating practical real-world products, answering the question, "when will we use this in real life?" When we teach learners to become creators, it provides an opportunity for those learners to become teachers-that is the ultimate goal of education.