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Submitted by: / Sonya Mora / Date: / 3-27-2010
Edited by: / Adriana Sepulveda / Date: / 3-29-2010
Unit Name: Geometricians / Unit Length: Four Weeks
Overview: How are Math and Science concepts interrelated when it comes to creating a quilt?
DESIRED RESULTS
TEKS and SEs
3.8-The student uses formal geometry vocabulary. The student is expected to name, describe, and compare shapes and solids using formal geometric vocabulary. / Critical Vocabulary
Polygons Triangle Quadrilateral
Side Pentagon Hexagon
Vertex Octagon
Enduring Understandings (Big Ideas)
Plane shapes have many properties that make them different from one another. Polygons can be described and categorized by their sides and angles. / Essential Questions
How do you identify polygons?
Learning Goals and Objectives
A polygon has at least 3 sides.
A polygon is named for the number of sides it has. / Materials Needed
The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns
Assorted Polygon Worksheet
Math Journals
Geoboards & rubber bands
Index Cards
ASSESSMENT PLAN
Performance Tasks
Students will be able to create a design using polygons.
Students will be able to identify polygons and attributes with 75% accuracy. / Other Evidence
Observations when students are discussing how to group polygons
Assessment of design using a rubric
LEARNING PLAN
Engage:
The teacher will read The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns. This book is about a Triangle that is unhappy with its shape and decides through the help of the Shapeshifter to take on new identities. The Triangle continues to add one more side to itself and begins to change from a triangle, to a quadrilateral, to a pentagon and so on. The teacher will prompt students to predict what shape is coming next and what will happen to the Triangle.
Facilitation Questions:
  1. What do you predict the shape will change into next? Why?
  2. What is the sequence of the Triangle’s changes?
Explore:
Teacher will explain to students that they will learn the special names for different polygons their exploration. Students will placed in groups of threes and be given a sheet of assorted polygons. Students will sort the shapes into two or more groups. Then students will explain how they sorted the shapes and describe the shapes in each group. Groups will share how they sorted polygons to the class.
Facilitation Questions:
How did you decide to sort your polygons?
What makes a shape a polygon?
Explain:
Students will get out their math journals and create the following chart:
Number of Sides / Number of Vertices / Name of Polygon / Drawing of Polygon / Polygon Found in the Environment / Words with Same Prefix
3 / 3 / Triangle / Triathlon
4 / 4 / Quadrilateral / Top of desk / Quadrant
5 / 5 / Pentagon / Pentagram
6 / 6 / Hexagon / Hexagram
7 / 7 / Heptagon / Heptarchy
8 / 8 / Octagon / Octopus
Teacher will define what is a polygon. Polygons are a closed flat shape with straight lines. Polygons are named by the number of the sides they have. Teacher will also discuss that two sides of a polygon meet at a point called a vertex. Teacher will place a polygon on the Elmo. Teacher and students will discuss polygons and begin to complete the table shown above.
Elaborate:
Students will use geoboards to create each polygon from the chart. Teacher will actively monitor students and ask the following questions:
  1. What polygon did you create?
  2. Are there acute, right, or obtuse angles in you shape? Point to where they are. How many? How did you determine the angle?
  3. What kinds of lines are in your polygon? Explain.
Evaluate:
Students will create a design using the shape pattern presented and write a paragraph that describes the design using geometric terms. / Time
10-15 minutes
15-20 minutes
15-20 minutes
15-20 minutes
20 minutes
Extension:
Then students will create and play the game “Guess my Polygon”. Students will work in triads. They will write the names of the polygons learned on the index cards. Then they will place the index cards in the middle of their desk. One student will draw a card and provide two clues to the other students in the group. The first student to identify the polygon keeps the card. After the polygons have been identified, the winner is the one with the most cards.
Internet website -
Students are timed and have to match name of polygon with the correct picture of polygon.
Modifications:
Special Education Students – drawing polygons on dot paper, follow IEP, and make sure students are using ARF’s, have a copy of chart and students will glue into journal, scribe paragraph that describes design
Dyslexic Students – have a copy of chart and students will glue into journal, help with spelling when writing paragraph of design, follow modifications
Behavior/Attention Problems – close proximity when working in groups, eye-contact, follow behavior contract

Evaluation

The following shapes fell out of Ms. Mora’s school bag. Help her identify the following polygons:

  1. List the letters of the polygons that match each description. Remember some of the shapes might be used more than once.

______quadrilaterals______triangles

______octagon______square

______pentagon______rectangle

  1. Which shapes have parallel lines? ______
  1. Which triangle(s) have acute angles? ______
  1. Which triangle(s) have obtuse angles? ______
  1. On the separate sheet of paper, create a design using the shapes above. Color your design. Then write a paragraph that describes your design. Don’t forget to use geometric terms to describe polygons.