Month:

What Shaped the Design of the Duke Engineering Quad?

  • September 9

We join Duke University engineering student, Katie as we investigate the design principles at play in the Harrington Engineering Quad, and what historical precedents those designs grew out of. Read her blog post about creating this design-themed tour here: https://talkstem.org/designing-a-tour-about-design-thinking-and-enginee... CONTINUE READING

Why is the school building designed the way it is?

  • September 9

Join these scholars from Dallas Independent School District Solar Preparatory School for Girls as they lead us on a walkSTEM tour of their campus. They address such questions as why one window is a lot larger than the other at opposite ends of a hallway, how a map relates to math and science, why one room has more of an echo than another, and more! This content was made by community members from Solar Prep School for Girls. We invite all interested groups to reach out and find more information o... CONTINUE READING

How does environment affect a building?

  • September 9

The Dallas Holocaust Museum is striking in its appearance and we used our STEM lens during our recent visit to appreciate its design. This video was supported by City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs.... CONTINUE READING

Using arrays, how many windows are there?

  • September 9

What's the best way to figure out the number of windows on the Texas School Book Depository? Math, of course! Watch the video to see how we applied the concept of arrays to answer this question. This video was supported by City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs.... CONTINUE READING

What is a trapezoid?

  • September 9

Join us on a math walk where we look for geometric shapes at Dallas City Hall. The building reminds us of a triangle embedded in the ground. The result looks like a trapezoid. What is a trapezoid? What other shapes can you recognize in this building? How can we measure the angle made by the building? This video was supported by City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs.... CONTINUE READING

Similar Triangles or Not?

  • September 9

What are similar triangles and how can we tell if triangles are similar or if they are not? Students and faculty from CityLab High School, Dallas ISD join us on a beautiful day at Fair Park, an architectural treasure trove in the city of Dallas to explore this question using the sights of the Esplanade. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here:... CONTINUE READING

Where are the circles?

  • September 9

Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor, notices the repeating motif of circles in the design of the Cathedral Guadeloupe. He highlights the intersection between geometry and architecture by making observations about the use of circles within circles and symmetrical arrangements in the traditional architecture of the church. Dr. Whitney illustrates for us that the math and STEM-related observations we can make about everyday places around... CONTINUE READING

How Can Shapes Create Feelings?

  • September 9

Architect I. M. Pei designed this visually striking building. Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor, points out that the effect of the design is dependent in part on the use of two geometric shapes that are unexpectedly used together. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here:... CONTINUE READING

How Do Cylinders Make Beautiful Shapes?

  • September 9

Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor, is struck by the cylinders obvious in the design of this modern building. The building is formed from two cylinders that intersect to form a beautiful parabola. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here: https://talkstem.org/talkstem-ac... CONTINUE READING

How Can we Estimate Really Tall Things We Can’t Reach?

  • September 9

Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor, uses the mathematical properties of rectangles to help him measure the width of louvers that are extremely high us. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available here: https://talkstem.org/talkstem-activity-guides/ Support for these guides w... CONTINUE READING