Floor Plan Your Classroom

 Floor Plan Your Classroom  Gallery  Resources  More 'Architivities'  Contact Information

Draft a CAD Drawing using MS PowerPoint 2011 (Mac)

Start a new blank document in PowerPoint and go to File->Save As.. to save it immediately. Remember to save your work every two minutes.

OR

Download a PowerPoint graph paper template in 1/4" scale.
(control-click the above link and Save Target As....)

New File

Click on the border of the text box that reads "Click to add title." When it is selected, use the backspace key on the keyboard to delete it.

Do the same with the "Click to add subtitle" text box. You should have an empty slide to work with.

Delete Title Box
Check View Ribbon from the View menu. At the same time, check the Media Browser as well. View Ribbon and Media Browser
Lines, shapes and drawing tools will appear in the Shapes tab of the Media Browser. Shapes in Media Browser

Choose Guides -> Snap to Grid and Snap to Shape from the View menu.

Snap

Select the line tool from the Media Browser and drag a line in the document to create straight walls and windows. Keep lines straight by holding down the shift key on the keyboard while you drag a line.

Lines

To change the thickness (i.e., weight) and color of the line, do one of two things:

1) Control-click on the line you just created. This brings up the Format Shape dialog box. Choose the Weights & Arrows tab to change the thickness of the line.

OR

2) Click once on the line you just created and then choose the Shape -> Styles -> Line from the Ribbon. Select a line thickness. For more choices, choose Line Effects.... This brings up the Format Shape dialog box.

Suggestion: Adjust the width of the line to 6 pt for walls and 3 pt for windows. Remember to draw in scale, using the top and side rulers as guides.

Format Shape

If you have been working only with the line tool, and you wish to fill in an area with color or texture (to create a floor carpet for example),

  1. Use the Basic Shapes->Rectangleor Circle tool
    OR
    the Lines and Connectors -> Freeform (or Scribble) tool from the Media Browser.
  2. Click on each corner of the area you wish to fill, forming a closed shape that will be on top of the existing area.
  3. Control-click on that new shape to access the Format Shape dialog box and customize the area.
  4. If desired, Control-click on the shape, choose Arrange-> Send to Back to move the filled area behind other objects it may be covering.

Basic Shapes

Lines

Other useful shapes (like the Arc tool, used for showing which way a door opens) can be accessed from the Basic Shapes set of the Media Browser. Arc

After drafting the walls and windows, doors and closets to scale, add dimension lines. Try to draw the dimension lines outside of the floor plan of the room. Use a very thin line width and choose a arrow heads for the dimension line style.

Dimension Line
Use the Basic Shapes from the Media Browser to create your own furniture. Make sure your furniture is to scale, is in proportion to your floor plan, and is in "floor plan view." That is, make sure it appears as if it were flat, with the viewer looking down from above (as opposed to a front view). Make Furniture

Use the Text Box tool from the Insert menu to add text. Create a text box for the key, the scale, descriptions of furniture, and the total area of the room.

Also use text boxes in your dimension lines to show the length of the walls on the dimension lines.

Control-click on a text box to customize it.

Insert Text Box

Click here to see a CAD drafting of a floor plan

Return to "Floor Plan Your Classroom - Step 3"


Math-Kitecture Home Floor Plan Your Classroom Gallery Resources Teacher's Notes More Architivities Contact Information

Math-Kitecture Home