Pool-a-palooza went off with a bang today! We dove deep into learning about how accurate measurements require identical units, precise starting and ending points, no gaps, or overlaps in coverage, and partitioning of left-over (non-whole) units (measurement accuracy), and using what you know about an object may help make an educated guess about the numerical approximation of an object (estimation). We discussed how non-standard units lead to confusion about the actual measurements of an object. We talked about how saying things like, “my tower is 5 blocks high,” doesn’t specifically communicate the height because the height of each block matters. We practiced measuring perimeters of shapes like a star and tiles, and we compared the total perimeter in inches to the total perimeter in centimeters.

Today, your student came home with their final projects (if not, their partner may have taken them home). Check out their 3D pool models and compare them to their 2D blueprint. Every part of the 3D model should have been measured in standard units – ask your child if they used inches or centimeters and why! Which item was the longest? Which had the greater perimeter? How would you compare the depth of the deep end to the depth of the shallow end? If you could add any other features, what would they be? How would their size in the 3D model compare to the size of the other pool components (scaling)?

Finally, in your child’s backpack, you will find their folder (full of the work we’ve done in class!) and a book titled Architecture for Kids: Skill-Building Activities for Future Architects. It is a gift from the SAVY program so your learner can continue their architecture journey at home! You may choose to explore this with your child if you’re interested in discovering additional topics that we did not have time to dive so deeply into. As architects and mathematicians, we know that there is always more to learn!

Check out the picture of some 3D pools. What features do you see?

Warmly,

Ms. Courtney & Kat