Assignment 3 - Origami Polyhedra

The dodecahedron our group made:



Benefit of the project:
• Hands-on activity
• Help students to visualize the 3 dimensional worlds. For instance, finding information about edges, vertices, faces and etc
• Avoid boredom in the classroom
• Incorporate other subjects such as Arts
• Make students familiar with the background and history of polyhedra

Weaknesses of the project:
• Time-consuming due to making origami: it might be annoying for students, and as a result it might lead to frustrations and confusion.
• Time wise: it might be hard to fit this project into the curriculum.


Uses of the project :
• Make the students to feel for 3-D world
• Make them familiar with what geometry is, in particular polyhedra
• A fun classroom activity to follow

How to modify the project:
• Avoid making the students to do the origami: give them other options for origami. For instance, cut the segments and tape them together. This way, it is less time-consuming, and it gives the students the same result.

Extension of the project:
• We can ask our students to think about volume, surface area, and some other physical properties



Our project (Surface Area):

• Grade level : Grade 9

• Purposes:

- To make a fun activity in the class
- Avoid boredom about the teaching subject
- Make the students to get a notion for a 3-D object/world,
- Practice the concept of “Area” in mathematics.


• Description:

There are two choices for this project:
1. Students must build a “Reasonable” shape object such as a house, car, flower, and etc using at least two 3-D objects.
2. Build a complex structure using only one type of 3-D object of their choice.

Students must choose only one of the above options.
For either one they must follow the below criterions.(2-3 people per group)

- Students must hand in an informal proposal for this project.
- They need to build the structure.
- They need to write a report including the followings:

i) How they got the surface area of the object they made in details. This includes a verbal explanation and diagrams.
ii) Measuring and calculating the surface area of the object in two different units. ( ex. cm and inch)


• Time:

- First session: 20 min for proposal in the class.
- Second session: A full class time for material and making objects.
- Giving them a weekend for the final work.


• Production: Reports and structures.


• Marking Criteria:

- Communication ( how well they explain the work) - 35%
- Calculations(how they got the surface area and units) - 50%
- Structure ( what they made) - 10%
- Creativity - 5%