Shaping Up Student Learning
Hi Everyone!
After reading the Young Children's Developing Understanding of Geometric Shapes article, I wanted to dive in deeper for a better understanding of geometry in the classroom. The research findings in this article particularly stood out to me because there were some fascinating facts pointed out throughout. Specifically the challenge students have to distinguish scalene triangles and isosceles triangles as triangles when removed out of a group with a circle and a square. So I began to reflect on my experience in elementary school and reminisced on ways I tried to understand geometry. While it was difficult to remember specific details, since it was a little while ago haha... I remember the importance of having clear definitions.
Teaching a geometry lesson can be tricky because of the many different definitions, so how can we get students to remain engaged during the lesson?
Here is a link to a video that shows GREAT ways to implement a lesson to real life which also encourages the students to work together and explore the lesson in their own way. *Please note although the video I have provided focuses on upper grade levels the concept is applicable across all grade levels.* The teacher does such a great job of nurturing each students curiosities and encourages to find solutions and problem solve as a team.
Attached here is a worksheet that can be used for lower grade levels that will help students learn to distinguish the various shapes we see around us everyday in some cases. The worksheet can also encourage verbal reasoning using the shapes in their surroundings.
Another activity that can help understanding and use of verbal reasoning is the shape man worksheet. It focuses on all of the basic shapes students should learn at an early age. As students become experts on the teachings of the basic shapes, teachers can create their own rendition of the shape man, as they progress on their understanding of geometric shapes.
Hopefully with a few of these activities students will learn the correct concepts of shapes!
Enjoy working with shapes!
After reading the Young Children's Developing Understanding of Geometric Shapes article, I wanted to dive in deeper for a better understanding of geometry in the classroom. The research findings in this article particularly stood out to me because there were some fascinating facts pointed out throughout. Specifically the challenge students have to distinguish scalene triangles and isosceles triangles as triangles when removed out of a group with a circle and a square. So I began to reflect on my experience in elementary school and reminisced on ways I tried to understand geometry. While it was difficult to remember specific details, since it was a little while ago haha... I remember the importance of having clear definitions.
Common Core Standards covered:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.G.A.1
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.G.A.2
Teaching a geometry lesson can be tricky because of the many different definitions, so how can we get students to remain engaged during the lesson?
Here is a link to a video that shows GREAT ways to implement a lesson to real life which also encourages the students to work together and explore the lesson in their own way. *Please note although the video I have provided focuses on upper grade levels the concept is applicable across all grade levels.* The teacher does such a great job of nurturing each students curiosities and encourages to find solutions and problem solve as a team.
Enjoy working with shapes!
Hey Tanisha!
ReplyDeleteLoved this post and the video you shared. I agree and found the video to be a really great resource when teaching the concept of geometry to students. In general, I think that geometry tends to scare students who aren't comfortable with math, so making the lesson plan on geometry personal and fun is a great way to keep students engaged. In the video you shared, I liked how the students were encouraged to find examples of geometry in everyday life, because this helps them see that learning this mathematical concept is actually important and can be seen all around them. For example, one kid was spinning on a playground object and another student noticed that the round disc was split into three even parts, and began identifying the angles of each individual section. Another student identified that the circular object was 360 degrees. This is a much more fun and interactive way for students to recognize these important concepts - as opposed to just drawing a circle on a chalkboard! The students were able to make these observations THEMSELVES! And that's a huge part of learning...it's really self-learning, which is an important concept that we discussed in our other Psychology class.
I'll definitely keep this in mind if I'm ever working with students on geometry in the future!