--- title: Building an Icosahedron in Math in French - 6th grade description: Building an Icosahedron in Math in French - 6th grade image: https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_04151-300x225.jpg --- [![Silicon Valley International School](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hubfs/Logos/INTL_Logo_RGB_2024.png)](https://www.siliconvalleyinternational.org/) ![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hubfs/search.png) [![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hubfs/hamb.png)](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade#sidr-main) - [admissionstour and variable tuition](https://www.siliconvalleyinternational.org/admissions) - [early yearspreschool and pre k](https://www.siliconvalleyinternational.org/page/education/early-years) - [elementary school kindergarten–5th grade](https://www.siliconvalleyinternational.org/page/education/elementary) - [middle school 6–8th grade](https://www.siliconvalleyinternational.org/page/education/middle-school) - [high school9–12th grade](https://www.siliconvalleyinternational.org/page/education/high-school) **Locations** [Palo Alto and Menlo Park, CA](https://www.siliconvalleyinternational.org/about/contact-us) **Email** [admissions@svintl.org](mailto:%20admissions@svintl.org) **Social** - [![facebook](https://dto-sf-media.myschoolcdn.com/ftpimages/403/link/large_link2417421_134652.png)](http://www.facebook.com/svintlschool) - [![Instagram](https://dto-sf-media.myschoolcdn.com/ftpimages/403/link/large_link2417426_134654.png)](http://www.instagram.com/svintlschool) - [![Twitter](https://dto-sf-media.myschoolcdn.com/ftpimages/403/link/large_link2417432_134655.png)](http://www.twitter.com/svintlschool) - [![LinkedIn](https://dto-sf-media.myschoolcdn.com/ftpimages/403/link/large_link2417433_134656.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/svintlschool) - [![YouTube](https://dto-sf-media.myschoolcdn.com/ftpimages/403/link/large_link2417434_134657.png)](https://www.youtube.com/user/istpnet) [All](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog) Bilingual Education Early Years Program Elementary School [Middle School](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/topic/middle-school) [High School](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/topic/high-school) Design Thinking ![german_french_chinese_INTL](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hubfs/Untitled%20design-1.png "german_french_chinese_INTL") ##### [merger](https://blog.istp.org/topic/merger)   [international baccalaureate](https://blog.istp.org/topic/international-baccalaureate) # [Together: INTL and Alto Announce Merger](https://blog.istp.org/together-silicon-valley-international-school-alto-announce-full-merger) ###### AUG 17, 2020 The Board of Directors for Silicon Valley International School (INTL) of Palo Alto, CA and the Board of Trustees of Alto International School (Alto) of Menlo Park, CA are excited to announce a full merger of our two schools, to be known as [**Silicon Valley International School.**](https://www.istp.org/about/istp-changes-its-name) [Middle School](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/topic/middle-school) # Building an Icosahedron in Math in French - 6th grade Apr 24, 2012 During the week before Spring break, half of the class was in China. The other half stayed in Palo Alto, and built an Icosahedron! An icosahedron is a geometric solid consisting of twenty faces. Each face is an equilateral triangle. **Step 1: The triangles' size  **Students were given 3 tri-fold boards : 36x48 in (91,4x121,9 cm). Their goal was to build the largest icosahedron possible with these 3 boards. First, they had to brainstorm on the triangles' size.![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_04151-300x225.jpg?width=300&height=225&name=IMG_04151-300x225.jpg)[![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_04171-300x225.jpg?width=300&height=225&name=IMG_04171-300x225.jpg)](http://blogs.istp.org/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade/img_0417-2/) After having confronted their thoughts, they agreed for a solution: To cut 30 cm equilateral triangles. The solution was not optimal for the size but easier to build considering the folding board. [![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_04222-300x225.jpg?width=300&height=225&name=IMG_04222-300x225.jpg)](http://blogs.istp.org/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade/img_0422-3/) **Step 2** : **Drawing the triangles**. Given the size of the triangles, some chose to use the big board compass, others preferred to use a protactor to ensure that their triangles had 60 degree angles. [![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_04251-300x225.jpg?width=300&height=225&name=IMG_04251-300x225.jpg)](http://blogs.istp.org/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade/img_0425-2/) **Step 3 : Cutting the triangles.** **[![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_04261-300x225.jpg?width=300&height=225&name=IMG_04261-300x225.jpg)](http://blogs.istp.org/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade/img_0426-2/)** **Step 4 : Punching holes (for me) and coloring the faces ( for the students).** **Step 5 : Assembling the structure.**I provided our structure's net because we lacked of time to think about it. Students used twist ties to connect the faces that were adjacent, then, little by little, they connected all the faces.[![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_06721-300x225.jpg?width=300&height=225&name=IMG_06721-300x225.jpg)](http://blogs.istp.org/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade/img_0672-2/) [![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_06752-e1334815127872-225x300.jpg?width=225&height=300&name=IMG_06752-e1334815127872-225x300.jpg)](http://blogs.istp.org/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade/img_0675-3/)   [![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_06952-e1334815175174-225x300.jpg?width=225&height=300&name=IMG_06952-e1334815175174-225x300.jpg)](http://blogs.istp.org/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade/img_0695-3/)   **[![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_07031-300x225.jpg?width=300&height=225&name=IMG_07031-300x225.jpg)](http://blogs.istp.org/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade/img_0703-2/)[![](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_07012-225x300.jpg?width=225&height=300&name=IMG_07012-225x300.jpg)](http://blogs.istp.org/blog/2012/04/24/building-an-icosahedron-in-math-in-french-6th-grade/img_0701-3/)Congratulations to Alexandra, Riley, Margot, Noor, Joseph, Killian, Alan and Eliot ! ** **\*In 2020, the International School of the Peninsula (ISTP) formally changed its name to Silicon Valley International School (INTL) to better reflect its bilingual programs, location, and international values.**   - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [Middle School (79)](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/topic/middle-school) - [Community (66)](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/topic/community) - [Social Emotional Learning (37)](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/topic/social-emotional-learning) - [Culture (28)](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/topic/culture) - [High School (19)](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/topic/high-school) - [Inquiry Learning (12)](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/old-blog/topic/inquiry-learning) ![INTL](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/crop%20INTL.jpg?width=1120&height=331&name=crop%20INTL.jpg "INTL") ### Fostering bilingual leaders with boundless futures. Learn more about our school. #### An International Baccalaureate education from preschool to high school. [![contact us](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/2564279/3c112494-75f6-4e4f-95f3-be54b76926b2.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/2564279/3c112494-75f6-4e4f-95f3-be54b76926b2) ![svINTL-logo](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/INTL_Logo_RGB_2024.png?upscale=true&width=300&name=INTL_Logo_RGB_2024.png) Silicon Valley International School. 151 Laura Lane Palo Alto CA 94303 United States [admissions@svintl.org](mailto:admissions@svintl.org) [https://www.siliconvalleyinternational.org](https://www.siliconvalleyinternational.org) [![istp-email-logo](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/sv_pdd_email/facebook.png?upscale=true&width=24&name=facebook.png)](https://www.facebook.com/SVINTLSchool/)  [![istp-email-logo](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/sv_pdd_email/instagram.png?upscale=true&width=24&name=instagram.png)](https://www.instagram.com/SVINTLschool/)  [![istp-email-logo](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/sv_pdd_email/linkedin-in.png?upscale=true&width=24&name=linkedin-in.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/?about=&gid=3678595)  [![istp-email-logo](https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/hs-fs/hubfs/sv_pdd_email/youtube.png?upscale=true&width=24&name=youtube.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoCumv__A7wzB86YH0q8u7A) © 2026 All rights reserved.