2D and 3D Shapes, Location and Movement, Week 8

Hello Everyone!

Katic, K © (2015). In Class Nov. 2.

This past week, we were involved with a discussion about 2D and 3D Shapes, Location and Movement. In the Small textbook, Chapter 15 discusses 2D and 3D shapes while Chapter 16 discusses location and movement. Both of these chapters are extensive and offer great classroom based application of math

 In particular, I am a huge advocate for visually understanding math through images, and Geometry and Spatial sense is a great math strand for incorporating those all important math manipulatives.

The various presentation activities were great, I especially enjoyed the various hands-on activities. I have included an image of one of the activities the class did, which involved very simply plasticine and toothpicks. Following some requirements listed on a worksheet, students are expected to model a 3D shape. It's a great way to get students interacting with math and to think about math more visually.

Geometry and Spatial sense is particularly important for students to understand. It requires students to really understand the world around them, and by having a strong foundation of understanding spatial relations, it allows students to have a deeper understanding of number sense and numeration. The best way for students to develop spatial sense is through practice of visualizing, drawing, and comparing shapes and figures in various positions (Ontario Curriculum, p.9).

Topmarks (2015). Quadrilateral Quest.

There are two really fun games that I discovered this week that students can use to learn more about Shape, Location and Movement. The first game is called Quadrilateral Quest: Do You Know Their Properties? This game is a much slower paced game as it allows students to really think about the questions that are asked before they submit their answers, so if any student has math anxiety that is especially induced by higher paced games, this one would be a great alternative for them. This game meets the core curriculum expectations for Geometry and Spatial Sense for Grades 5 and 6 but can serve as a review for older students, or even as a starting point for younger, more mathematically inclined students.

Topmarks (2015). Coordinate Plane Jeopardy.

The second game is Coordinate Plane Jeopardy. If you read one of my previous posts, you know that I'm a fan of jeopardy games, they're a really fun way to get students working together to try to determine the correct answer. There are 3 different categories of questions and students can work indepedently versing the computer or they can work in small or large groups. It's a really great way to get students to think about the math involved while competing to try to get the right answer.

I hope that the above post will help pre and in-service teachers alike! If you have any questions or comments feel free to post them below. Stay warm this week, the cooler weather is quickly approaching!

References 
Ontario. (2005). The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8. (6th Ed). Toronto: Ontario, Ministry of Education. 
Small, M. (2013). Chapter 15 and 16 In Making Math Meaningful to Canadian Students, K-8. (2nd Ed.) Nelson Education. Toronto: Canada. 
Topmarks (2015). Math Games for 11-14 Year Olds; Quadrilateral Quest and Coordinate Plane Jeopardy. http://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/11-14-years/shape-position-and-movement