4DFrame Activity Tips:

8. Building big together

 

Cooperate together in class and build Sierpinski’s pyramid.

 

KomTek in Järfalla is a Swedish science- and technology-oriented activity centre that regularly uses 4DFrame materials in its programs both in-house and with local schools. Anna Nytomt Kristensson is one of their staff who works with this and she shared this set of activity tips KomTek developed (thank you, Anna!) for using this educational teaching tool.

 

 

 

8. Building big together

Cooperate together in class and build Sierpinski’s pyramid.

 

Main concepts 1-3 mathematics:

- Basic geometric objects including points, lines, line segments, quadrilaterals, triangles, circles, spheres, cones, cylinders and cuboids and their mutual relations. Basic geometric properties of these objects.

 

- Construction of geometric objects.

 

- Symmetry as found, for example, in nature and in artwork, and how symmetry can be constructed.

 

Main concepts 1-3 technology:

- Materials for your own design work, their properties, and how they can be connected.

 

Main concepts 4-6 mathematics:

- Basic geometric objects, such as polygons, circles, spheres, cones, cylinders, pyramids, cuboids and their mutual relations. Basic geometric properties of these objects.

 

- Construction of geometric objects.

 

- Symmetry in everyday life, in art, in nature, and how symmetry can be constructed.

 

Preparation:

- Talk about geometric shapes: pyramids with different bases, octagons and octahedron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Build a few different small pyramids and octahedrons.

 

- Talk about symmetry – for example in an octahedron - do some symmetry exercises, such as making pictures (butterflies are a good example).

 

Build Sierpinski’s pyramid with 4DFrame:

- Materials to a pyramid: hexapod connectors, 24 pieces. (Use 6cm pieces because there are most of them: green, blue and yellow)

 

- Start by making a square of four pieces and four connectors. Make the square to an octahedron and then continue to build a pyramid.

 

- For a more detailed description and photos, see pages 55-60 in the 4DFrame activity book, or the accompanying photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Follow-up:

- Calculate the perimeter of the base, height, volume, etc. of your finished pyramid.

 

- Work on the pyramids, looking at pictures of pyramids – do all pyramids have as many sides?

 

- Continue by building more geometric objects.

 

 

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