Slices Through 3D Objects
Carol Ormand, SERC at Carleton College
This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Collection
Resources in this top level collection a) must have scored Exemplary or Very Good in all five review categories, and must also rate as "Exemplary" in at least three of the five categories. The five categories included in the peer review process are
- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html.
- First Publication: April 14, 2014
- Reviewed: July 11, 2017 -- Reviewed by the On the Cutting Edge Activity Review Process
Summary
Photographic image of a slice through coffee and donuts. Image by Beth Galton, photographer (http://bethgalton.com/) and Charlotte Omnes, food stylist (http://charlotteomnes.com).
![[reuse info]](/images/information_16.png)
Provenance: Photographer Beth Galton (http://bethgalton.com/) and food stylist Charlotte Omnes (http://charlotteomnes.com)
Reuse: Image copyright Beth Galton (http://bethgalton.com/) and food stylist Charlotte Omnes (http://charlotteomnes.com)
In this exercise, students identify and draw slices through an ice cream cone, a pyramid, and a beverage six-pack.
Topics
Geology Grade Level
College Lower (13-14), College Upper (15-16)
Readiness for Online Use
Online Ready 
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Learning Goals
This exercise is intended to provide a little bit of practice in identifying and sketching slices through 3D objects.
Context for Use
This exercise is designed to be used early on in a course that requires a lot of mental slicing (imagining cross-sections through sedimentary deposits or deformed rocks, for example). It may be most useful as a diagnostic tool, to discover which students will struggle to draw cross-sectional diagrams.
Description and Teaching Materials
In this exercise, students identify and draw slices through an ice cream cone, a pyramid, and a beverage six-pack.
Slices through 3D objects (Microsoft Word 293kB May19 15)
Teaching Notes and Tips
I would use this exercise primarily as a diagnostic tool, to see whether drawing cross-sectional diagrams will be challenging for students in a class that will require visualizing slices through 3D objects.
Assessment
A quick look at student sketches is sufficient to assess their ability to draw simple cross-sectional diagrams through familiar objects.
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