LESSON 3 (Approximately 2 hours)
DEVELOPING DIGITAL RENDERINGS USING ‘RHINOCEROS’
Overview
Materials
Digital projector
Projector screen
Student and teacher laptops with internet access and free, installed version of ‘Rhinoceros’
Key Words
Point | Line | Curve | Parabola | Paraboloid | Digital rendering | Creativity | Collaboration Critical thinking | Social constructivism | Prototype | Prototyping | Peer review
TEACHING PLAN
Introduction
Today we are going to formally begin the engineering design process. We will be learning about this process via guidelines developed by N.A.S.A. One of the main points you will hear is that asking questions, imagining features, and planning are critical parts to engineering. You will also hear how the process of engineering is never over. Think about how cars or iPhones are constantly being redesigned with improvements and new gimmicks. Rather than engineering being a linear process that is finite, engineering should be conceptualized as a circular (or helical) process since we ask questions, imagine solutions, plan & create protototypes, test them and then re-imagine, make improvements and start the cycle over again. Today, you will be meeting with your design team to unpack the homework and in so doing consider the questions you have asked thus far, examine the drawings and further consider the ‘what ifs’ you have brainstormed. I am also excited because everyone will have an opportunity to explore ‘Rhinoceros’, a digital drawing program that you will use to digitally draw your ideas for your parabolic solar oven. ‘Rhino’ is a common, powerful tool for drawing in such fields as engineering, architecture and graphic arts.
Does anyone have any questions? Alright, let’s get started!
ASK Questions and discuss as a class (15 minutes)
Task
Wrap Up
Discuss
Distribute
Web Resources
Formative Assessments
Summative Assessments
DEVELOPING DIGITAL RENDERINGS USING ‘RHINOCEROS’
Overview
- Developing competency in graphing a point, a line, a plane, a parabola, and a paraboloid in the digital realm
- Encouraging ‘agency’ (MacLeod, 1987) through peer teaching and learning
- Promoting creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking through social construction of meaning vis-à-vis fundamental mathematical practice, digital drawings, peer review, and group brainstorming
Materials
Digital projector
Projector screen
Student and teacher laptops with internet access and free, installed version of ‘Rhinoceros’
Key Words
Point | Line | Curve | Parabola | Paraboloid | Digital rendering | Creativity | Collaboration Critical thinking | Social constructivism | Prototype | Prototyping | Peer review
TEACHING PLAN
Introduction
Today we are going to formally begin the engineering design process. We will be learning about this process via guidelines developed by N.A.S.A. One of the main points you will hear is that asking questions, imagining features, and planning are critical parts to engineering. You will also hear how the process of engineering is never over. Think about how cars or iPhones are constantly being redesigned with improvements and new gimmicks. Rather than engineering being a linear process that is finite, engineering should be conceptualized as a circular (or helical) process since we ask questions, imagine solutions, plan & create protototypes, test them and then re-imagine, make improvements and start the cycle over again. Today, you will be meeting with your design team to unpack the homework and in so doing consider the questions you have asked thus far, examine the drawings and further consider the ‘what ifs’ you have brainstormed. I am also excited because everyone will have an opportunity to explore ‘Rhinoceros’, a digital drawing program that you will use to digitally draw your ideas for your parabolic solar oven. ‘Rhino’ is a common, powerful tool for drawing in such fields as engineering, architecture and graphic arts.
Does anyone have any questions? Alright, let’s get started!
ASK Questions and discuss as a class (15 minutes)
- What are the intersections of math, art, economics, and humanitarianism?
- How can our peers help guide our art and understanding of mathematical principles?
- What does a great parabolic solar oven design look like? What are some of its features?
Task
- Please get up, bringing your portfolios and backpacks with you, and sit with your design groups. Take fifteen minutes to explore the work each team member completed at home. Review the materials list compiled by the Materials Team Member. The Materials Team Member will submit a modified materials list at the end of class. Take a look at the three schematic sketches produced by the Schematic Team Member. We will be rendering these sketches into the digital arena during this class period. Finally, consider the list of tasks put together by the Coordinator Team Member. Do these tasks still feel relevant? Make modifications within your team. I will be circling the room so feel free to ask me any questions or tell me anything exciting that you are planning. (15 minutes)
- Now, as a team, discuss the following: What are some of the things you are noticing right now? What are you excited about? What concerns do you have? The Coordinator Team Member will present your team’s findings to the class in a brief presentation. (10 minutes)
- Excellent! Thank you all for participating in that roundtable. Next, we are going to view a quick video series courtesy of N.A.S.A. called “Beginning Engineering, Science and Technology”. There are six quick videos that dive into each of the six features of the engineering design process: ‘ask’, ‘imagine’, ‘plan’, ‘create’, ‘experiment’, and ‘improve’. Before we do that, let’s take a quick stretch break. (15 minutes)
- Stretch break. (2 minutes)
- Today, we are going to really dive into the ‘plan’ stage of the engineering design process (E.D.P.). To do that, we are going to work on communicating our design ideas visually through digital software. Take a moment and please download the free version of ‘Rhinoceros’ on your laptop if you did not do so before class. (5 minutes)
- Next, I will lead you through a quick tutorial on drawing a point, a line, a plane, a parabola, and a paraboloid in ‘Rhinoceros’. *OPTION: Teachers, if you identify a student who already has experience using ‘Rhinoceros’ or a similar rendering program, this is a great opportunity to give that student some agency! Invite that student to lead his/her classmates in the tutorial. (20 minutes)
- Now that we have all successfully drawn a point, a line, a plane, a parabola, and a three-dimensional paraboloid in ‘Rhinoceros’, the majority of class will be dedicated to two purposes: 1) using ‘Rhinoceros’ to draw and improve the planned parabolic solar oven you will begin next class and 2) planning with your design teams. Your ‘Coordinator’ should help lead the way. I will also be circling the room answering any questions you might have but don’t forget to ask some of your classmates for help with some the technical features of ‘Rhinoceros’. (20 minutes)
Wrap Up
Discuss
- While still in your solar oven teams, modify and submit your final materials wish list. We will be constructing the solar ovens in the Innovation Lab next class. (5 minutes)
- Review homework deliverables due next class: (2 minutes)
- Schematic Team Member is responsible for drafting digital renderings of proposed solar oven design from three angles (Top, Perspective, Elevation) due at the beginning of next class. Include dimensions if applicable.
- Return to your original seats. With a neighbor, “Think-Pair-Share” (5 minutes)
- Highlights and lowlights of digitally drawing a point, line, plane, parabolas, paraboloid, and parabolic solar oven
- The importance of serving as a valuable team member
- Finally, if you did not have the time to do it and would like to, I have included the link to the ‘Rhinoceros’ tutorial that some of your classmates already worked on. This is optional. (1 minute)
Distribute
- "N.A.S.A.’s B.E.S.T.: The Engineering Design Process"
- Links to N.A.S.A.’s Beginning Engineering, Science, and Technology (B.E.S.T.) website and video series
- Link to ‘Rhinoceros’ tutorial for anyone looking to go back and try it
Web Resources
- ‘Rhinoceros’ tutorial: https://vimeo.com/49597954
- N.A.S.A.’s Beginning Engineering, Science, and Technology (B.E.S.T.) website: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/best/#.V4Q9GJMrJp8
- N.A.S.A.’s B.E.S.T. Engineering Design Process (E.D.P.) video series: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/best/edp.html
Formative Assessments
- “Think-Pair-Share”
- Students’ team materials wishlists and preliminary solar oven designs
Summative Assessments
- Digital renderings of lines, planes, parabolas, and paraboloids