Dalton News

House 44 Leverages Math Concepts in New Amsterdam Archeology Study

This past summer, Jessica Barton, the 3rd Grade House 44 Advisor, found inspiration in the student-led planetariums at The Dalton School Japan.
Motivated by their impact, she sought to bring a similarly immersive experience to her own classroom. However, rather than focusing on astronomy, she introduced a unique twist by constructing a wigwam — an addition that seamlessly integrated with her students’ Indigenous Peoples project, enhancing their learning experience.

To bring this vision to life, Jessica collaborated with Daniel Cruz, First Program Educational Technologist, and House 44 associate Morgan Waggoner. She and Daniel had previously partnered on a successful project to design and fabricate a scale model of a 17th-century Dutch house for the New Amsterdam Archaeology unit.

For this initiative, they began with a prototype using Magna-Tiles, incorporating mathematical concepts to lay the foundation. Applying fundamental geometry — concepts familiar to their 3rd-grade students — they then constructed a scaled-down version of the wigwam. The project culminated in the creation of a full-scale structure, crafted with precision using a laser cutter from the Engineering floor at Big Dalton. Now a permanent fixture in the classroom, the wigwam serves as both a peace corner and a focused learning space.

Submitted by FP Educational Technologist Daniel Cruz and 3rd Grade House 44 Advisor Jessica Barton
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