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Design for Learning: The Schools for 2050 Project
Students take on the task of designing a state-of-the-art high school.
by Edutopia Staff
Students applied their mathematical knowledge to building scale models, drafting site plans, and making cost estimates.
Last spring, Eeva Reeder, a math teacher at Mountlake Terrace High School, in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, issued a challenge to her geometry students:
"Working as a member of an architectural team in 2050, you are competing against five other companies to win the contract to design a state-of-the-art high school on a given site. You must present your proposed design to a panel of professional architects who will award the contract. Your design must meet the learning needs of students in 2050, must accommodate 2,000 students, and must make use of the natural benefits of this particular site, while also preserving at least half of the existing wetland."
The Process
Students broke into teams of no more than four and set to work designing the school for the future. Over the course of six weeks, they considered the conditions that might best promote student learning in 2050, applied their mathematical knowledge to building scale models, drafting site plans, and making cost estimates, and prepared written proposals and oral presentations. All the work was completed in preparation for their final presentations to the panel of architects.
The Presentation
The nine design teams in Reeder's freshman-sophomore geometry class presented their school designs, plans, and budgets to Seattle architects Kirk Wise and Mark Miller, who were charged with selecting the project with the best concept, best use of site features, and best building and classroom design; cost was also a factor.
A GLEF film crew was on hand to document the presentations and collect other artifacts of student work. We present the work of three teams here.
- Video: Bearamundi Architects: Students Design a School
- Video: Bubble D Industry: Students Create a School of the Future
- Video: S&K Inc.: A School Imagined
Geometry lesson plans
Submitted by Diane Demee-Benoit on April 29, 2008 - 19:53.
Alecia,
Eeva Reeder might be willing to send you the lesson plans. She is no longer teaching geometry at Mountlake Terrace High School. You can reach her at Fielding Nair International. Scroll down the page and you may email her directly
Lesson plans for sophomore algebra and geometry
Submitted by Alecia (not verified) on April 29, 2008 - 17:36.
I would like the lesson plans for the school in 2050 project. How would I go about obtaining this lesson? I actually showed my class the viedo clips which started my design a putt putt hole project.
2050 Schools
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on October 30, 2007 - 04:44.
This is innovative and shows meaningful learning at its best! Teachers have moved from the vessels of information to guides of an educational journey for students. We need to get on board or our students will be left behind!
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