Geometry and woodworking come together through the Geometric Design class at HHS. Geometry teacher Mr. Hill and Woodshop teacher Mr. Stonestreet combine their love for their subjects by teaching students about Geometry and applying those principles to woodworking.
This creative class has been offered at the high school for the past six years. Mr. Stonestreet shared, “HHS was interested in starting [more] STEM classes. Mr. Hill and myself agreed to create a curriculum for the course.” The double-period class is full of projects and mathematics that the students apply to their building. “Some of the projects that the students make in Geo-Design are clocks, Lazy Susans, pizza peels, bridges, putt-putt golf courses, pens and wood burning.” Mr. Hill’s district webpage says that the class is a “project-driven curriculum…students will use various types of software, in conjunction with construction techniques, to design, create and appreciate graphic and visual art projects.” All of this is necessary for the class to develop and apply geometric concepts hand-in-hand with woodworking. Mr. Hill also emphasizes the importance that students need to master the course material mentally using “paper and pencil techniques and with technology.”
Geo-Design requires a prerequisite of Algebra 1. This class is open to any students who have taken the prerequisite course and have a love for geometry and building things through an application process. Students check off an honors geometry credit and a fine art credit. Students are expected to be held to a higher standard to meet workload, completion and deadlines.
Mr. Stonestreet shares, “My favorite part of the class is helping the students design projects and helping them with the application.” Mr. Hill adds his view on the class, “I love the freedom the course provides. We are not entirely bound by the bells and we flow between “lab” and “classroom” as the learning process calls. It is a far more authentic way of learning.” Geo-Design is adaptive to all ways of learning, and these teachers love the freedom and creativity the class brings not just to their students but themselves, too.
If you are interested in building and creating new things and willing to apply geometry and use mathematical skills to create fun projects, Geometric Design is the class for you. Mr. Stonestreet and Mr. Hill are dedicated to their work and enjoy sharing their love for it with the younger students of HHS.
