How Square are YOu?

How Square are You? is a simple project involving a number of different Arch Plans and a data Form. We invite you to conduct the activities to explore how interesting, "safe" data can be collected within and across school districts for students to contribute and analyze the resulting data "on the fly".

We invite ALCA Members and Nonmembers alike to conduct the activities with their students. The following How Square are You? unit contains a set of lesson plans that can be printed and used. However, ALCA members can use them within their ALCA Classes and complete the fields for analysis within the Comprehend Data tool.

​So, let's take a look at each of the example lessons!

1 ~ Understanding Data using
       How Square are You?

According to Russel Ackoff, a systems theorist and professor of organizational change, the content of the human mind can be classified into five categories. In this activity you will discover what this content is and how it may apply to our lives. Yes, Data is one of these categories.

2 ~ Collecting Data using
       How Square are You?

Practice collecting, organizing and comparing data by determining just determining how square we are. That is, we are measuring our arm span and height and comparing the difference. We also include additional information on data, information, knowledge and data mining that may help in analyzing our data combined with the data from others.

Click the How Square are You? Data Table to view the results so far!

3 ~ Analyzing Data using
       How Square are You?

In this activity we discover how data becomes information. We explore and analyze the data submitted to the How Square are You form to discover what information we can conclude. From this information, we draw what knowledge we develop for use in our lives.

4 ~ The Golden Ratio

The golden ratio, also known as the golden proportion, golden mean, golden section, golden number, and divine proportion is the division of a given unit of length into two parts such that the ratio of the shorter to the longer equals the ratio of the longer part to the whole or, when a line is divided such that the ratio of the longer part of the line to the whole is exactly the same ratio as the shorter part of the line is to the longer part.