Conic Model
Specifics: Independent Exploration of Conics
Designing a model to teach conics using Tinkercad was a uniquely rewarding experience. Unlike my previous project in Tinkercad, this one required me to work without a guide, relying solely on my understanding of conic sections and my ability to navigate the software. This challenge pushed me to think critically about how to represent the four key conic sections—circle, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola—in a way that would be visually engaging and pedagogically effective.
Round 1:
After MUCH tinkering in Tinkercad, (lol) I found out how to “slice” a cone in a way that maintains the proportions and precision of the sections. Right away, I had to see if they printed well. Of course, my diligence paid off. I was pleased with the results.
Round 2:
After EVEN MORE tinkering, (still lol) I managed to design precision holes that lined up very well so that I could insert magnets to hold the model together. MUCH easier said than done.
Success
Installing the magnets went about as well I could have hoped. I designed the size and shape of the holes well enough that the magnets were a perfect press-fit. As well, they lined up such that cone assembled in a nearly seamless manner. This was an incredibly rewarding experience, when held in contrast to my experience in the tensegrity project, this went swimmingly.
The process of creating the model helped me solidify my understanding of conics and their geometric properties. Tinkercad’s interface allowed me to experiment with slicing planes and intersecting 3D shapes, offering a dynamic way to explore how these sections emerge from the geometry of cones. This hands-on design experience underscored the value of spatial reasoning in understanding abstract mathematical concepts.
The big idea of this activity was “exploration”. This project highlighted the importance of exploration and experimentation in the learning process. Designing without a guide forced me to engage more deeply with both the mathematical content and the technology. The cross curricular nature of this project felt very powerful, and reading about this in class made me appreciate how important it is to facilitate this. “Making is intrinsically cross-disciplinary in that the creation of artifacts typically requires knowledge of engineering, math, science, and technology, which contrasts with traditional school based disciplines which are typically isolated from each other” (p. 132).
Cohen, J. D., Jones, W. M., Smith, S., & Calandra, B. (n.d.). Makification: Towards a framework for leveraging the maker movement in formal education. Georgia State University.