Geometry students at Santa Fe Trail Jr. High School in Olathe, Kansas have discovered a new use for Ruskin louvers—providing real life applications to geometry problems.  Ruskin, the worldwide leader in air and sound control, provided louvers of several different shapes to eighth graders at the school for use as a teaching aid in their geometry class.

The students use these louvers by measuring their dimensions, and then using the formulas they learned in class to calculate the louvers’ surface area.  The louvers provide the students with a hands-on, real world application of the formulas they’re learning in class.  Since the students work in groups, the exercises help them to work in a group setting, as well.

Mrs. Aggie Knapp, a geometry teacher at Santa Fe, reports that “using the louvers as a teaching aid provides a more thorough understanding of geometry than just learning it out of a book.”  Measuring the dimensions of an actual, physical object and applying formulas learned in class for calculating its surface area provides a more meaningful, practical experience for the students than just paper and pencil exercises.  This enables the students to better retain information learned in class and use it appropriately.