modelling

Everyday

1. Making models: small copies of things, or shapes from clay, Plasticine or other materials. tree →
2. The job of a fashion model: wearing clothes for photos or shows. tree →
3. (science, maths) Making a simplified version or a set of rules (a model) that shows how something works, often on a computer, to predict things. tree →
4. (behaviour) Showing others how to behave by doing it yourself: «modelling good manners». tree →

In the lessons

In art and design lessons, «clay modelling» and «model making». In science and geography, computer modelling predicts weather and climate. In maths, «modelling» turns a real problem into numbers and equations. Teachers talk about «modelling» a skill: showing you how first. Phrases: «clay modelling», «computer modelling», «role modelling», «a modelling agency».

Examples

• We did clay modelling in art today. tree →
• Weather forecasts use computer modelling. tree →
• My cousin does modelling for a clothes catalogue. tree →
• The teacher is modelling how to set out a long division. tree →
• Modelling the Solar System with balls showed us the sizes of the planets. tree →
• Modelling kind behaviour helps younger children learn. tree →
• Maths modelling turns a word problem into an equation. tree →
• Dad spends weekends modelling a tiny railway. tree →

Note

UK/Australia/NZ/Ireland spell it «modelling» (double l); the US spells it «modeling». Both are correct in their countries. Remember: every model is simpler than the real thing, so its predictions can be wrong. In maths, modelling means writing the problem as numbers, then checking the answer makes sense.