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Google Sketchup

I've been thinking! How can I perk up my Math lessons? The students are learning about 3D shapes. My favourite math topic :) And yet I am reluctant to open the huge ponderous math text book...very, very reluctant.

That's when Google Sketchup popped into my mind. I've been meaning to learn about it. But I had a better idea. I downloaded it onto my laptop and asked my two boys to play around with it.Within minutes, they had created oil tanks, buildings and soon a whole city with a hoverig helicopter! My older one, I observed was playing with shadows and creating dimensions that gave his pictures a very realistic look. 3D is all about visual and spatial comprehension. On Google Sketchup, simple objects can be twirled around and lifted high into the air. We can see inside compact shapes and get a feel of what it means to be 3D. By creating cities, students will see the connection between real life and 3D shapes; understand why the pyramid was a sqaure based trianalge and why oil tankls are cylindrical. Food for good classroom coversations! So here was my answer to the dilemma. I think I'll try showing milk pouring out of milk carton(Tetrahedrons). My goal! Hold your breath. I'll soon be posting it :)

I came across Guzman's (a primary school teacher from Italy) attempt to include Google sketchup in his math lessons. The possibilities are enormous as you can see.


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