Have you ever been to Disney World and have seen the giant ball in Epcot? Have you ever wondered how it is was made? Take a closer look. As you can see, the giant "Spaceship Earth" consists of tons of little triangles! Your job is too find out how much metal was used to create this famous landmark of Disney World. Let's assume that each triangle has a base of 6ft and a height of 2ft.
Learning Targets:
I can find important information to that will help solve a problem.
I can use appropriate tools strategically in order to solve the problem.
I can apply my knowledge of triangles to solve problems.
Narrative:
In this activity, students take a closer look at the famous Epcot ball located in Disney world. They are all familiar with it but may not have know that it was actually completely covered with small triangles. The students will read a short but interesting article about the construction of the "Spaceship Earth" and will continue to calculate the total amount of metal used to create the outside "golf ball" effect. This activity will grasp the interests of most students and will especially spike interests the students who enjoy reading or learn better from reading. Students will be able to think about triangles in another real-life context and impose a deeper understanding of triangles.