August’s 12 Month of Math theme is Architecture and Design.
Architecture is the art and science of designing buildings, and architects are the people who design the buildings and spaces we use – houses, offices, schools, skyscrapers, parks, and even cities. Architects design and plan spaces with a combination of function and form. They want the building to work well for the intended purpose, but they want it to look good, too.
Let's help our learners investigate how we can introduce these concepts to our adult learners:
Watch this video: "Why are triangles stronger than squares?"
Lesson idea on the strongest shape: http://www.discovere.org/our-activities/single-activity-detail/Strongest%20Shapes
Have a class discussion by asking students to walk around town or drive through a neighborhood look at the different buildings and structures you are passing.
- What shapes do they notice?
- Are all the buildings made of rectangles and squares?
- Or do some have arches or curves?
- Do the bridges have any triangles in them?
- How many different shapes can they find on their own house?
If you do something different in your classroom to engage learners please post and share. Let's support each other as we learn how to engage our students!