Mr. Mikkelson's Class Blog

Notes on Geometric Solids Lesson

mrmikkelson — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:17:13 +0000

Presuppositions for Geometric Architecture Lesson:

Students already have learned vocabulary concerning 2-D and 3-D shapes in the previous two weeks.
Teacher will have loaded Google SketchUp on student computers as an option. Word, Power Point, and Paint are assumed to have been loaded on computers already.

Lesson Notes:

Goals: Students should reflect on geometric vocabulary, use persuasive writing, make a model, study historical architecture, and work as a cooperative group.
Assign jobs to groups of 4 or 5. Project Manager, Drafter, American-Architectural Researcher, International-Architectural Researcher, and Intern
Define Jobs: Project Manager is the one who oversees the group’s jobs and progress. The PM should know what the other jobs’ goals and tasks are. The PM reserves the right to switch team’s roles according to ability, except for his or her role. Drafter is the person who types the proposal and makes the graphic representation of the group’s blue prints. The Researchers lead the study of famous architecture in order to get ideas for the project. The Intern helps anyone on the team and it the only person who can communicate with the teacher.
Students should work in an inspired classroom set-up using only one computer for the first 10-15 minutes to develop team work and to develop an awareness of the other jobs. The students should be urged to form a group goal of persuading the Mikkelson Corp. that their idea is the best.
After 15 minutes the Researchers may obtain their own computers in order to speed-up the sharing of ideas.
The typing of the proposal and the making of the blue prints should be done on one computer for the last 30-40 minutes of the lesson.

Geometric Solids

mrmikkelson — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:12:27 +0000

Ok boys and girls, you all have done a pretty good job of studying geometric solids in the classroom, but now it’s time to go to the real world. You are going to be an architect (whether you like it or not) today. You are competing with 4 other architectural firms to get the right to build the new Mikkelson Corp. building. The Mikkelson Corp. is filthy rich, but also eco-friendly. They want a new headquarters that fulfills three requirements: It must be artistic, it must be eco-friendly, and it must be efficient. The head of Mikkelson Corp. loves buildings with cool geometric shapes, so make sure to study famous world builings and famous American builings. Here are a couple of websites with more famous American architecture: Favorite Architecture.org and A Digital Archive of American Architecture. You will have to describe your project in words and images. You will submit your written proposal here and you will save your blue prints on your desktop ans then send it to me at mmikkelson@irvingisd.net Use Word for the written proposal and then use Google SketchUp, Paint, Word, or Power Point for the blue prints. When you describe your project, use geometric vocabulary and describe why you are using certain shapes. For example, Joe Shmoe thins that the top of the building should be an octagonal prism room will clear glass walls. The glass will allow natural light to light the room and it will look very original. Good luck.

Class Birthday Story

mrmikkelson — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:23:39 +0000

Since we ran out of time last week, see if you can write a rich last paragraph to finish up the rest of the story.

A Birthday to Wish For

Creeeak! I opened my bedroom door as usual, not suspecting anything out of the ordinary, but there on my bed was a huge box. It was ocean blue in color, with a mossy green ribbon – a birthday present, of course! I slowly undid the ribbon and ripped open the box. I peeked inside to find…a teapot? That was it? I tossed it aside onto my pillow, when suddenly, POP! I screamed, thinking there must be a ghost in my room with all the purple mist that surrounded me, but out of the mist emerged a jello-y figure – a genie! He was aqua blue and at least eight feet tall, with a black goatee and a purple magician’s hat perched on the top of his head. He looked friendly enough, but he smelled like rotten cheese. Yuck! What was he doing in my room?

As the mist cleared, the genie cam in to focus, and in a British accent he informed me that he was a birthday genie. “Uh…” I opened my mouth to speak, but the genie rudely interrupted my confusion. “You have three wishes,” he boomed, “and two rules. Listen closely, or your wishes will be taken away. You cannot bring anyone back from the dead, and you may only wish for one thing at a time.” I closed my eyes, deep in thought, pondering what I would wish for. Then it hit me; I knew what I wanted. My wish started out as a whisper. “I wish for…” My voice grew with excitement. “I wish for a food court – even better than the Irving mall’s, for ALL the schools in Texas!” The genie tossed his hat into the air and announced, “Your wish is granted. What is your next desire?” I paced the room a moment, when it came to me. Looking at my piggy bank, I questioned, “Could I have $10,000,000 a day for all eternity?” The genie nodded and gestured toward my piggy bank. It cracked open, piles of dollar bills spilling out. The genie looked at me, awaiting my third wish, but I explained, “The last one, I think I’ll save for later – just in case.”

Introductions

mrmikkelson — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:54:42 +0000

I am trying to figure out what would be a good introduction paragraph for my somehting beautiful composition. I know that there are many types of introductions to choose from: scare the reader, use onomatopoeia, ask a question, looking back, use a quote, or make the reader wonder. I knew that scaring the reader would just be plain silly for this type of composition, so I tried a few other different introductions.

Onomatopoeia – Thwaaaack! I could could hear the baseballs craching off the bats during batting practice as I handed my ticket to the usher just inside the ballpark. I knew that I was in for an evening of excitement, but I did not know how that excitement would be so pleasing to my eyes.

Ask a question -If told you that I went to a place that was filled with dirt, grass, sweat, and about one million and one stinky smells, how could I possibly convince you that it is the most beautiful place int he world? Well if you’ve ever been to a baseball game, you just might understand. All you need is a ticket and an open mind.

Looking back – I was just seven years old when I found the greatest place on earth. My dad buckled me into the car, popped a cap on my noggin, and handed me a ticket. I clung to that ticket like my life depended on it. I handed my ticket to the gentleman on the inside of the ballpark and I stepped into the most beautiful place my eyes have ever seen.

Use a quote – “Programs, get your programs!” “Footlong, who needs a footlong?” “Cotton caaandyyyyyy.” Programs, hotdogs, cotton, I could only be at one place, the ballpark. My first baseball game was the most beautiful experience I have ever had.

Make the reader wonder – 40,000 people, 40,000 different voices, but all attention is on the nine guys with leather mits on their hands and the guy holding the piece of lumber. There are no knights, queens, or pawns involved, but this is the most beautiful real-life chess match on the planet. This is the splendid battle of wits, might, and luck known as the average baseball game.

Tell me which intro. I should use for my something beautiful composition.

Something Beautiful

mrmikkelson — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:56:03 +0000

The Stadium

By Mr. Mikkelson

What a beautiful moment it was for me to be blinded by a sea of bright green as I strolled through the cavernous dark tunnel to the basball field. I had gone from the sweet sugary smell of the cotton candy to the stale smell of the dried peanut shells that were scattered on the ground. It may not sound beautiful, but the cruncheddy-crunch-crunch under my shoes only added to the glorious experience I was having. I looked up from the ground to see my beloved Milwaukee Brewers warming up for a game against the Cleveland Indians. The leisurely way that my baseball heroes were tossing the ball around looked like a symphony of motions coming together for some sort of random perfection.

Once my father sat me down, I was able to take in all of the sights that were before my eyes. Sun beams snaked their way through the façade of the stadium to cast light onto the field. The light showed the dirt which looked so smooth that it appeared to have been raked by a feather broom. Along the dirt I could see straight foul lines made of the whitest chalk I had ever seen. It was as if Mother Nature had drenched the chalk in the purest pale paint ever. What caught my eyes the most was not the infield though, as beautiful as it was.

The grass that had been the first thing I noticed was now hypnotizing me in my seat, with its meticulously checkered patterns. You would have thought that they would have had to use food coloring to make the forest green and soft green contrasting colors that weaved in and out of each other. My front lawn never looked that neat after I cut it. The blades of grass looked like real, actual blades; they were cut soooo sharp and straight. This lush and vibrant green carpet that was laid before my eyes looked just perfect enough for my sacred Brewers to take foot on.

The Smartest Dog in the World

mrmikkelson — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 14:54:53 +0000

Our new principal, Dr. Tokumoto, seems to think that she has the smartest dog on the planet. While she does make a very convincing case about her dog, I respectfully beg to differ. My Lola baby is a clear cut winner for the title of “Smartest Dog.” She is a beagle, so remember that being obediant and being smart are two totally different categories. She’s about as obediant as a baby brother during nap time, in other words, she’s not obediant at all. What she does have going for her is that she is cunning.

When I was cooking chicken in the oven one day I received a phone call from Mrs. Mikkelson to come and pick her up from school. I decided to lower the oven to 200 degrees and go pick her up. When I arrived back to our apartment I looked in the kitchen to see my oven door was pulled open and the rack was slid out onto the floor. The chicken was nowhere to be found. I looked on my couch to see my beagle laying there with her stomach stretched to full capacity and her tail tucked. Now I don’t profess to be a rocket scientist, but I deduced from the evidence that my beagle had managed to pull the oven door open, slide the the rack onto the floor to avoid getting burned, eat four whole chicken breasts, and then lay on the couch looking like a hairy barrell with four stout legs.

That is my case for Lola being the smartest dog. I don’t think you could convince me that your dog or other pet is smarter than she is, but you can give it a try. Respond with your smart pet story and remember that only the most convincing and well written stories will get published on my blog.