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Seventh Grade Students Tackle 3-D Mathematical Challenge

Working in teams, Ms. Jaklitsch’s seventh grade students tackled a unique lab activity. Their challenge was to take one case of 100 magnetic Picasso Tiles to build a three-dimensional composite figure of which they would then calculate the composite volume and surface area.

In this Mathematics lab activity, students were asked to provide the following information regarding the structure their group built:

  • Identification of all 3-D figures which make up your final structure
  • All formulas derived from the figures that combined to form the composite figure
  • All work algebraically
  • Correct answers
  • Correct labeling
  • Detailed drawing of the composite figure created on graph paper with dimensions

Ms. Jaklitsch challenged her students to design creative and difficult structures to strive for a greater number of points to be awarded at the end of the lab assignment.  A group's lab received points for the rendering of their figure, difficulty, and creativity.  Student groups were also graded on their ability to identify the figures used, the appropriate formulas, their algebraic problem-solving and whether they reached correct conclusions.  The same tasks applied for determining the surface area of the structures.  Student teams would receive points for correct identification of figures used, the corresponding formulas, strength of their algebraic problem-solving and whether their final lab work showed correct answers and labeling.

Students’ strengths and capacity for leadership and collaboration were essential to the success of this lab.  Successful teams collaborated to build a challenging structure while inspiring each other with individual suggestions to improve upon their original design.  Some students easily adopted a leadership role while others demonstrated their artistic skills in the 2-D drawing of their structure.  As a team, the lab groups then collaborated to identify the shapes included, the equations to use, and finally solved algebraic equations together.