iCrosss
Some kids have a hard time visualizing 3-D shapes, especially those with many vertices, edges, and faces. As you teach a unit about polyhedrons, it could be fun to use iCrosss in a couple different ways. Before kids learn about a particular polyhedron, have them explore it using the app and write down everything they learn. As you teach kids more about the polyhedron, allow them to view it and rotate it so they can visualize all of its features. In your lessons, you will likely be discussing nets, so challenge kids to draw pencil-and-paper versions of nets for the polyhedrons they study. Using the app to rotate the shapes would be particularly useful for this task.
Continue readingiCrosss is an interactive encyclopedia of polyhedrons -- three-dimensional solids kids often study in geometry class, which include cubes, pyramids, and prisms. Kids can explore 3-D representations of nearly 50 different polyhedrons and can experiment with creating cross-sections. The figures are organized into six main categories: platonic solids, Archimedean polyhedra, pyramids, prisms, anti-prisms, and archimedean duals. Kids can also access info on each polyhedron, including the number of vertices, edges, and faces as well as formulas for surface area, volume, face diagonal, and more. Other options include the ability to email or print an image, view a polyhedron in three different orientations, separate parts of a polyhedron, and add polyhedrons to a list of favorites. Kids can access a brief tutorial by tapping on the information icon.
Kids can learn the names and characteristics of nearly 50 3-D solids with this well-designed reference tool. Shapes range from a simple six-sided cube to a highly complex triakis octahedron with 24 faces. Kids can explore a 3-D image of each polyhedron and place points to create a cross-section. For each solid, an info sheet lists features including number of sides and vertices, as well as formulas for calculations such as surface area. Shape names like octahedron or pentagonal hexecontahedron offer kids a great opportunity to brush up on their Greek prefixes and root words. iCrosss is a useful tool to help kids visualize complex geometric forms but offers little opportunity for them to apply the concepts. An assessment tool or game to test learning would be a welcome addition.
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