Using Cubes and Isometric Drawings

Students explore drawing a mat plan when given a three dimensional figure built from cubes. Students also explore building a three dimensional figure when given the mat plan.

In this activity, students will compare isometric drawing with another type of representation, a mat plan. A mat plan is a top view of a solid, with the number of cubes appearing in each vertical column displayed in the corresponding box.

For example, project the following images for the students:

Isometric Representation	Mat Plan

As in previous lessons, these images are available in a PDF for you to download and print onto a color transparency.

Mat Plans Images

Discuss with the students any observations they have made after looking at each of these images. If necessary, draw other examples for the students to make observations.

Using the Isometric Drawing Tool, students should create the two figures, as shown below.

Students should sketch a mat plan for each figure on paper. Then, using the figures they have just created using the Isometric Drawing tool, they should click on the View tool and select the mat drawing.

Ask students if their mat plans were correct. If not, they should look at the correct mat plan to help them figure out their mistakes. Students can practice creating new three dimensional figures and drawing corresponding mat plans as needed.

For the next part of this lesson, students will build isometric drawings given a mat plan. Encourage students to make several different drawings for each mat plan, if possible. If needed, students can transfer their drawings for each mat plan onto isometric dot paper. Students may wish to keep the View tool open while they draw.

Draw these mat plans on the board for students (or project the images from the previously mentioned PDF). Using the Isometric Drawing Tool, students should now make their drawings.