The Micro House

Resource added here as Mico House evauation can be completed using Scratch for Arduino sensor input for temperature.

Start with the basic premise that there is no such thing (in a Science sense) as ‘cold’. Heat or the absence of heat provides the continuum (hot to cold). To better design homes, we need to minimize heat loss in ‘cooler months’ and heat gain in ‘hotter months.
This cross-curricular unit focus on the design, construction and evaluation of a Micro House. In a small scale, the learner:

1. designs a structure on screen in 2D orthographic views
2. prints the necessary pages, adds details and folds the 2D shape(s) into a small 3D representation
3. uses the paper version of the house 1:1 scale to plan the construction of the Micro House in 2:1 scale
4. fastens sections of JINX word (1 cm x 1cm softwood such as pine) into frames that are then assembled into all required walls and roof panels.
5. insulate the exterior surfaces to slow transfer of heat
6. inserts a small light bulb (5 watt Christmas tree bulb)
7. evaluates the heat retention of the building (measure, record and graph temperature every 30 seconds > 15 minutes)

All essential unit components are included along with evaluative tools.

For additional information, feel free to make contact.

Regards,
David Watson – former teacher at TVDSB and Western University