How to Teach Geometry With CAD

CAD programs are powerful enough to help your students learn geometry in many different ways.

Geometry is the study of shapes and their interaction and CAD stands for computer-assisted drafting. CAD programs have a wide variety of features, including the ability to create geometric shapes such as triangles and rectangles. These programs can create two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. Using CAD to teach geometry can help your students get a hands-on feel for geometry. It can also help teach them different aspects of the CAD program.

Things You'll Need

• School computer lab
• Geometry text books
• CAD text books

Instructions

1. Create a series of shapes using your CAD program. Use the "text" option to label these shapes and also all theorems that relate to finding their area, perimeter and, in the case of three-dimensional shapes, volume. Save the file and e-mail it to your students. Help them open it up on their computers in the computer lab using the CAD software. Let them use this as an interactive study guide.

2. Teach your students how to use the basic CAD program functions and give them a list of shapes they must make. Include the lengths and angles of each shape's sides and give them a class period to practice making the shapes.

3. Print a list of important geometric theorems and rules, such as the Pythagorean theorem. Give the students two to three class periods to make a presentation on these theorems. Students should use the program to design shapes that illustrate these theorems. Make sure they include text explaining the theorems.

4. Use your animation program, if your CAD program has one, to teach your students about the ways three-dimensional shapes interact. Give them a list of 3D shapes to replicate, including side lengths, angles and volume. Have them use these shapes to make a 3D animation of a human walking.

References

• Cadanda: How to Teach CAD
• NASSP Bulletin: CAD Solid Geometry Modeling Class
• Geometrie: Geometry in the CAAD Classroom