Lesson 4 Tiny House: Design and Solve

    • Let’s design a tiny house.

Warm-up Notice and Wonder: Tiny Houses

What do you notice? What do you wonder?

small cabin in the woods
small raised home with many windows
inside view of a bus converted into a living space

Activity 1 Design a Tiny House

Here is an image of the inside of a converted school bus.

inside view of a bus converted into a living space
floorplan of a bus on grid paper

  1. Choose the type of tiny house you will design. Be sure to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type and how you’ll use the area.

    shipping container
    photograph of a shipping container

    8 ft x 20 ft

    blank 8 by 20 grid
    cabin
    photograph of a tiny house

    8 ft x 10 feet downstairs

    8 ft x 8 feet upstairs

    downstairs
    blank 8 by 10 grid
    upstairs
    blank 8 by 8 grid
    school bus
    school bus

    7 ft x 14 feet

    blank 7 by 14 grid

  2. Create a design for your tiny house. Be sure to include:

    • different rooms

    • windows and a door

    • furniture and any other details you think are important

Activity 2 Ask, Revise, and Answer

Problem 1

Write two questions about your tiny house design:

  1. one question that involves area

  2. one question that involves perimeter

Problem 2

Work with a partner to answer your own questions about your tiny house design. Make any revisions to your questions if needed.

Problem 3

Find a new partner. Answer their questions about their tiny house design.