Fourth-graders at Village Elementary School in Syosset took part in a STEM enrichment project that integrated their math, science and social studies curricula. Students were first introduced to the field of nanotechnology and learned the meaning of functioning on a nano-scale. They later used this knowledge to build scale models of structures related to Native American social studies units, including longhouses and wigwams. Students spent time mapping out the original size of the structures to help them visualize what the scaling process involved. Scaling of each model was consistent, so that students could see the relative size of each structure.
In order to practice scaling, students first made precisely scaled replicas of grids depicting areas in square centimeters, requiring them to utilize their knowledge of multiplication, division and scale. To introduce the social studies component, students were given nonfiction reading selections on the model they would be scaling. Prior to building the model, students were given the actual size of their structure and were able to scale the metric measurements of the model. They worked together in groups to plan, engineer and construct their respective models.
