Sukkah Designing: A Creative, Mathematical, and Mishnaic Exploration

Our Grade 6 students recently completed an exciting new project that explored how understanding rules and systems can foster creative participation in our community. Challenged to design a Sukkah, our students were offered a perfect opportunity to combine architectural design, mathematics, and Jewish tradition.

The guiding principle for this project was the idea that creativity thrives within structured guidelines. By working with specific rules—both those of architectural design and the Mishnaic measurements governing a kosher Sukkah—students learned how creativity can be channeled to produce something functional and meaningful. The challenge was to design a Sukkah that adhered to Mishnaic law, ensuring it was both functional and in line with tradition, while also incorporating personal creativity and architectural design.

Multidisciplinary Approach to the Sukkah Design

This project was a cross-curricular exploration that connected Visual Art, Mathematics, and Mishna, allowing students to integrate creativity, problem-solving, and Jewish learning.

• Visual Art: In art class, students approached Sukkah design with a focus on innovation and creativity. They studied the traditional elements of a Sukkah—its temporary nature, open walls, and roof made of natural materials—while considering its role in the community and surrounding environment. Using cardboard, they carefully cut, assembled, and constructed detailed three-dimensional models to bring their visions to life.
• Mathematics: The design process extended beyond artistry into mathematical precision. In math class, students calculated the dimensions of their Sukkahs, ensuring accurate proportions. They measured area, surface area, and volume, applying mathematical formulas to make their designs both scalable and structurally sound. This hands-on application of math helped students see its relevance in real-world problem-solving.
• Mishna: Central to the design of the Sukkah was the exploration of Mishnaic guidelines. The Mishna, which outlines the laws of the Sukkah, provides specific measurements and rules for what makes a kosher Sukkah. Students used these texts to convert their measurements, ensuring their models adhered to halachic standards. This connection to tradition grounded their creative efforts and helped them appreciate the role of rules in guiding and shaping the process of creation.

Essential Questions: Building Knowledge and Understanding

Throughout this project, students engaged with a series of essential questions that encouraged deeper thinking and reflection:

• How can we design and construct a Sukkah to fit a specific space and group?
• How can we use cardboard to cut and construct a model that represents a life-size Sukkah to scale?
• How can we take accurate measurements of each dimension to calculate the area, surface area, and volume of the design?
• How can we use Mishnaic texts to convert our measurements according to the laws of Kashrut?

These questions guided the students’ exploration, pushing them to think critically about how rules and creativity can work together in design, mathematics, and religious practice.

From Concept to Creation: The Sukkah Design Models

Using their measurements, the students turned their designs into physical models. Constructing scaled-down cardboard versions of their Sukkot, they ensured that every dimension was accurately represented. Each student applied their newfound knowledge of measurements, geometry, and Mishnaic guidelines to build a model that was both structurally sound and spiritually meaningful. The result was a series of beautiful and functional Sukkot that met the standards of tradition while showcasing their individual creativity.

Reflections and Insights

This project provided students with the unique opportunity to combine practical skills with creativity while connecting deeply with Jewish tradition. It reinforced the value of understanding rules and systems in allowing for creative participation within a community. Through architectural design, mathematics, and Mishna, students discovered how their contributions fit into a larger community framework. They also explored how design and tradition can coexist harmoniously.

By the end of the project, students had not only gained a deeper understanding of how to design a functional structure but also a greater appreciation for the importance of measurement, tradition, and community in creating something meaningful.

Conclusion

The Sukkah Design Project was a successful integration of Visual Art, Mathematics, and Mishna, allowing students to explore how rules and creativity can work together to produce something functional and culturally significant. By applying mathematical principles, interpreting religious texts, and engaging in hands-on construction, students created Sukkah models that were both imaginative and kosher, marking the intersection of creativity, learning, and community in a meaningful way.

Discover more inspiring student projects in our Through the Classroom Window column!