Manipulatives that Assist Students in Thinking about Similar and Congruent

I have several sets of these  32 MiniRelational GeoSolids. 

 I mix them all together when we do an activity in which students sort the shapes into groups that illustrate the characteristics of similar and congruent.  There are very few concrete materials that help students think about the difference between the properties of these two concepts. 

In grades 4-6 you can also introduce the mathematical symbols for congruent and similar:

	Congruent (same shape and size)
	Similar (same shape, different size)

How about having that mathematically talented group of students in your class create an anchor chart for the class that compares the properties of congruent and similar.  

Here is an interesting anchor chart that I found on Google Images. Let student research the meanings of the markings on the triangles and explain the definitons of the words proportional and adjacent. (Don't worry about the calculations at the bottom, just use the illustrations.)

What do you think about this idea?  I had 3 very mathematically talented boys in my 3rd/4th grade class one year that kept me up at night thinking of challenging activities for them to do or investigate. (They loved geometry concepts, and I heard that one of the boys later became an engineer :) )When we would cover our "grade level" material, I would meet with them 8 minutes before class and discuss the lesson. Then using white boards or concrete materials, they would show me that they understood those concepts. 

 Next, I would give them their assignment, discuss the quality of work that I was looking for, and they would work and write in their math journals at the reading table in the back of the room.  I can only tell you that the quality of work that came from those boys was worth the sleepless nights and extra work.  

Smiles,

Deborah

3 -Dimensional Sort

This afternoon at our house was a lazy, snowy day. I decided to challenge my granddaughter, who is in 2nd Grade, to a 3-Dimensional Sort Challenge. 

This a great activity to do with a small group of students during Guided Math. 

 Using a set of 32 MiniRelational GeoSolids

and a set of cards labeled: cone, pyramid, prism, and  cylinder.

Earlier in the weekend, we built prisms and pyramids out of toothpicks and playdough.

We talked about what made 3-D shapes 

either a prism or pyramid.  

So when I gave her the bag of 32 shapes and asked her to categorize them, I did not review any concepts... 

she was just given the task. 

The first time around she made 2 common errors:

1) she categorized the hexagonal prisms as a cylinders.

2) she categorized the triangular prisms as a pyramids.

Why?  Probably because she was never exposed to these shapes before and did not deeply understand the "the characteristics" of the different types of 3-D shapes.  As we reviewed each category 

of 3- D shapes, we again talked about what she looked for when she was looking at each shape.

Cone- "Only 1 face at the bottom, and a vertex at the top of the shape."

Cylinder- "2 faces with curved sides. No vertex at all."

Prism - Faces- there can be a different number of them, and vertices."

Pyramid - " One vertex at the top, straight sides, and a bottom."

After our discussion I place all the shapes back into a plastic bag and asked her if she wanted to try again.  WITH THE INCENTIVE OF EARNING A DOLLAR IF SHE COULD CATEGORIZE THEM ALL CORRECTLY!

She is now $1.00 richer!

Smiles, 

Deborah

2-D Dominoes and Flashcards that meet Common Core Standards

 Consider reviewing your daily Calendar activities and updating them to reflect the new Kindergarten Common Core Standards. Use the set of flashcards of the 2-dimensional shapes-square, rectangle, circle, hexagon and triangle to develop an anchor chart that lists "What Our Class Noticed About These Flat Shapes". The anchor chart would then grow with student information about what they are noticing about the shapes as they do activities during center, calendar, or math instructional time.

The "math talk" card (suggested by Debbie  Diller in her book "Math Work Stations") could be used while the students play the game to ensure that a rich vocabulary is being used while playing the game.   

The dominoes, which use the same images as the flashcards,  could then be used as a follow-up practice activity at the end of the month as a summarizing activity. The domino game could be played in whole group with groups of 2 or 4 students, OR be placed in a math center for small groups of two or four children. There are 5 pages or dominoes or 40 dominoes. 

Flashcards are in English and Spanish

Click here for a copy of the dominoes and flashcards in my Google documents account. 

Only one more day of school until spring holiday. Then I get to organize my home office and do our families' Tax Return.(the only time during the year that I don't like math)........... sigh.

Deborah Devine

"Math Stations", by Debbie Diller, Chapter 7 on Geometry

I have already posted below on two different days about geometry because I get so excited about teaching geometry to students. 1) Monster Munch Polygons (book provided for download) and (2) Parallel or Not Parallel Line Sort (Activity sheet provided for download). I will be posting more this week but I am working on the download sheets that accompany the activities, so check back.  Deborah would love to hear your reactions to her activities since YOU are in her thoughts when she created them :)


Deborah

Parallel or Not Parallel Line Sort

 Debbie Diller reminded us that activities in math stations are not to learn new material, but to practice concepts already taught. This math station activity is meant to go along with a 2nd Grade, Everyday Math, Unit 5 lesson.Therefore, I would teach lesson 5.3 to introduce the concept of parallel and this sort would be placed in a math station the following week.

Students would have previous experience with sorts. It could be placed in a math station called geometry or vocabulary.

Click here to download the sort.

Monsters Munch Polygons

Okay, so I’m excited about the chapter on Geometry and I just can’t wait. What’s that song?   ”I’m so excited. And I just can’t hide it!”

I love Geometry.  Some mathematicians love algebra and some love geometry. I’m a geometry gal.  I created this little book about some Monsters that just love eating shapes. I made the shapes using dotted lines so your students could draw each shape themselves. Click  HERE for a copy of the book. (Leave a response to my book and tell me what you think.)

This is the first book that I’ve made using graphics from Digiweb  Designs. 

  I wanted a set of friendly monsters and these monsters make me smile.  I hope you and your students enjoy the book. Hasn’t this blog linky party about Debbie Diller’s book “Math Stations” been wonderful?

Deborah