Melville Intermediate - Tawa Intermediate: Mapping in 2d and Minecraft

At present we're engaging with the students from Room Fifteen Tawa Intermediate.  In the past two weeks we've completed a virtual model of Selwyn House, Christchurch.  We followed the same proces that were undertaking with Tawa Intermediate.   

We left comments to start with on the class or students blogs that we are engaging with.  We hoped that by leaving these comments we could construct a two dimensional grid model of the classroom.  The original inspiration for the task was 'Room with a View' from the Mathematics Geometry Figure it Out Books.   What we discovered from the task is that we really need to work on our questioning.  Sometimes we are asking questions that need to be clarified or more precise.  Sometimes we were asking questions but weren't clear enough about the information that we were looking to gain.

Based on the students responses we created a two dimesional grid map.  We then created a three dimensional version using uni-block cubes.   We then posted this online so our Aotearoa Quadblogging buddies could leave us feedback and we could modify the design if required.

We then converted this block map to a three dimesional model.  Finally we used Minecraft to build the classroom.  

With Tawa Intermediate we have discovered some challenging ideas - not every student has a desk, this is a new concept for the students to get their heads around.  We were also floored to hear that the teacher does not have a desk! In Room Five, Melville Intermediate we've got desk top computers - not so at Tawa Intermediate who have laptops and portable devices.  They've also got a wall dividing the classroom in two.  

Its been a brillant experience for the students of Melville Intermediate and its only just begun.  You can see some of the work in our modelling books here.

Tawa Intermediate - slideshows