Modeling Kits for Modeling:  Real Numbers & Statistics

 

Purpose:  Most students need additional time to practice and reflect on the modeling activities that are conducted in class.  These inexpensive materials can be used and kept at home for the student to reinforce the classroom activities, and to prepare for the oral exam in the last half of the semester.

 

Materials:  Sheets of foam material may be purchased in the craft section of general retail stores like Wal-Mart or in specialty craft stores like Hobby Lobby.  The sheets usually come in two sizes--30 x 45 cm sheets that are either 2 mm or 3 mm thick or 8" x 12" sheets that are 2 mm or 3 mm thick.  "Funky Foam" is a brand label available in some area stores.  An inexpensive alternative is a cardboard material like the front and back of a breakfast cereal box or two layers glued together.  Zip lock bags are very convenient containers for the kits.

 

Estimated amount of foam needed:  If the larger sheets are purchased, one sheet of each of the 5 different colors should be adequate to make Kits 1, 2, 3, & 4.If the 8” x 12” sheets are purchased, two sheets of each of the 5 different colors should be adequate to make the 4 kits.  Three of the smaller sheets of each of the 5 different colors should be adequate to make all 6 kits.  If the specified colors are unavailable at the retail store, select another color. The colors have been specified only to correspond with the standard colors used with the commercial materials that we use in the classroom.

 

Ellison Dye Machine:  The Ellison die cutter and dies are located on a table in our classroom.  Each Ellison die has a label printed on the edge of the die.  "Qty." indicates the number of cuts that you need to make with each die.  "Color" indicates the recommended color of foam to use with the indicated die.  During the first weeks of the semester the table will be rolled into the hall outside the classroom for your use when the classroom is occupied.

 

Note:  The two bottom kits in the table below—the Base 10 Kit and the Pattern Blocks Kit—are the same two kits described for Math 3433  Modeling:  Numerations and Operations.  If you made those kits in that course, you can use them in this course.  It is not necessary to make duplicate kits.

 
 

 

Fraction Kit 1

 

  Qty.   Label on Ellison die         color

   2      SQUARE   10 cm    black

   2      SQUARE   ½           yellow

   2      SQUARE   ¼ A       blue

   2      SQUARE   1/8 A     green

   2      SQUARE   1/8 A       red

 

Fraction Kit 2

 

  Qty    Label on Ellison die              color

   2      SQUARE   10 cm        black

   2      SQUARE   ¼ A           blue

   2      SQUARE   1/3               x

   2      SQUARE   1/6               y

   2      SQUARES   1”              z

(x, y, and z and be any color left over from other kits)

Circle Fraction Kit 3

 

    Qty        Label on Ellison die

     2         CIRCLE

     2         CIRCLE    ½

     2         CIRCLE    ¼

     2         CIRCLE    1/3

     2         CIRCLE    1/6

(make each circle a different color)

 

Tangram Kit 4

 

 

 

Label on Ellison die

 

       1          TANGRAM

 

(any color)

 

Base 10 Kit

 

    Qty        Label on Ellison die

     2         1 cm X 10 cm

     1         1 cm X 1 cm

     3         SQUARE   10 cm

Pattern Block Kit

 

  Qty    Label on Ellison die             color

   1      HEXAGONS   1”      yellow

   1      TRAPEZOIDS   1”       red

   1      PARALLELOGRAMS  1”  blue

   1      TRIANGLES   1”         green

   1      SQUARES   1”          orange

   1      RHOMBUS   1”        white/tan