Motion Geometry

Designed by:  Jeanna Hoffman and Christi Jones
Satchel Ford Elementary School

Core Curriculum Objective:  Investigate, recognize, and predict the results of motion geometry (slides, flips, turns).  (2GS3-2)

Grade level: Second  Subject: Math

Overview: After a teacher demonstration of motion geometry, students will illustrate the results of slides, flips, and turns using pattern blocks and alphabet letters.  Students will find examples of motion geometry in their world.  Students will use construction paper to cut shapes or letters to illustrate slides, flips, and turns.

Focus Question: How can slides, flips, and turns be used in math?

Time Frame:  three 55-minute class periods

Resources/ Materials: 

manila or white (12"x18") construction paper

*letter sets (2 of each: T, L, H, P) cut with Ellison Letter Cutters (block style)

student supplies:  construction paper, scissors, glue, pencils

Averkey

overhead projector

pattern blocks

motion geometry template

www.best.com/~ejad/java/patterns/patterns_j.shtml

scrtec.org/track/tracks/f00993.html

scrtec.org/track/tracks/f03289.html

www.kutztown.edu/~fithian/Geometry/Activity-10.html

teams.lacoe.edu/documentation/classrooms/jeannie/geometry/3-4/web/web.html

www.kutztown.edu/~fithian/Geometry/Activity-12.html

                                       www.ben2.ucla.edu/~permadi/java/spaint/spaint.html

*The teacher and each student need his/her own set.

6) Culminating Assessment: Students will illustrate the results of motion geometry by tracing block letters or shapes onto colored construction paper, cutting out the block letters or shapes, and gluing the block letters or shapes to show the results of slides, flips, and turns.  The teacher will use the following rubric to score the illustrations.

Motion Geometry Rubric  

7) Instructional Activities: 

Activity One: Use an Averkey to show the web site http://www.best.com/~ejad/java/patterns/patterns_j.shtml on your TV screen.  This is an interactive site that allows you to manipulate pattern blocks.  Display two trapezoids side by side.  Ask the students what they notice about them (same color, size, and shape).  Introduce the term congruent.  Explain that these shapes are congruent.  Move one of the trapezoids down to demonstrate a slide.  Ask the students if the trapezoid is still congruent to the first one.  Explain that this represents a slide.

Put the trapezoids side by side again.  Using the same procedure, this time demonstrate a turn.  Repeat several times to show how many different turns can be made.  Explain that there is one more motion in motion geometry, a flip.  Ask the students to predict how the trapezoid would look if it were flipped (exactly the same).  Got to the web site

http://scrtec.org/track/tracks/f00993.html (Select #4 Fun with Tangrams and then click for more information about symmetry.  It shows one example of a slide and two examples of flips.) Tell them that several shapes have the same look when flipped.

Give out the pattern blocks.  Repeat the above procedures with slides, flips, and turns using pattern blocks on the overhead as the students do it on their desks.  Circulate and assist as needed.  Repeat with other pattern block shapes.

Review the concepts of motion geometry with the web site http://scrtec.org/track/tracks/f03289.html  .  Ask the students when they would use slides, flips, and turns.  If the students have difficulty answering this, go back to the web site http://www.best.com/~ejad/java/patterns/patterns_j.shtml and use the pattern blocks to demonstrate patterns that can be made using slides and turns (flips can’t be shown because the blocks look the same when flipped).

Have the students work with a partner to create patterns using the blocks and slides and turns.  Circulate the room and have students tell you if they used a slide or turn for specific parts of their patterns.  Assist as needed.  Allow the students to walk around the room and view the other patterns.  Have them discuss with their partners the moves used to create the patterns.

HOMEWORK:  Brainstorm with the students places they might see patterns that use objects that have slides, flips, and turns (floors, patterns in clothes, wallpaper).  Students are to find two examples of motion geometry outside of school.  These should be drawn and labeled.

Activity Two: Review the activities from the previous day.  Remind the students that any object can be involved in slides, flips, and turns.  Show the web sites teams.lacoe.edu/documentation/classrooms/jeannie/geometry/3-4/web/web.html (click on Escher’s Patterns) and http://www.kutztown.edu/~fithian/Geometry/Activity-12.html (shows a large piece of Escher’s artwork that uses motion geometry – download in advance) to view examples of Escher’s artwork using slides, flips and turns. 

Pass out the letter sets.  Place one P on the overhead and use the other P on the overhead to demonstrate a slide.  Have the students do the same. Circulate the room and assist as needed.  Tell them to use the P to demonstrate a turn. Circulate the room and assist as needed.  Tell them to use the P to demonstrate a flip. Circulate the room and assist as needed.  Repeat this procedure with the letters T, H, and L.  Monitor the students the students to make sure they understand.  Ask which letters look different when flipped (L and P).  Remind them that some objects look the same when flipped (like the T and H). 

Have the students choose a partner and sit together.  Give out one motion geometry template to each set of partners.  Partners will work together to complete the sheet.  Draw an object (one that can be flipped) on the overhead.

Examples:  

Instruct the students to copy this in the first box.  Have them draw in the next box a slide of that object, a flip, and a turn.  Remind them to discuss it with their partners.  Circulate and assist as needed.  Repeat the procedure using two more objects.  Let partners come to the front and share their papers.  Let the rest of the class assist you in checking these. 

Activity Three: Pass out the manila or white (12"x18") construction paper.  Guide the students through setting up their papers just like Motion Geometry template. Have the students cut 3 shapes from construction paper (they can choose 3 letters to trace or they can try and create their own shapes). Remind them to choose shapes or letters that can flip.  Students need to trace and cut out four of each of the shapes/letters chosen.

Instruct them to glue one shape or letter in the first block right side up.  In the next box they should glue the same shape or letter to illustrate a slide, then a flip, and then a turn. Instruct the students to follow the same procedure for the other two shapes or letters.  Collect and score these using the rubric.  Post correct papers in the classroom or hallway and on the school’s web page.  Share them with another class that’s just learning motion geometry to use as examples.

Close the activity by leading a discussion about how motion geometry can be used in the world.  Discuss how designers use slides, flips, and turns to make patterns in fabrics, rugs, clothing, and artwork.  Show the web site http://www.kutztown.edu/~fithian/Geometry/Activity-10.html

to show various patterns made using motion geometry that could be patterns in floors and wallpaper.

Extension Activities: Use the following web sites as center activities for students:

http://scrtec.org/track/tracks/f03289.html  Interactive site that allows students to manipulate tangram pieces to make pictures.  This manipulation involves slides, flip (only one–parrallelogram), and turns.

http://www.ben2.ucla.edu/~permadi/java/spaint/spaint.html Interactive site that allows students to create kaleidoscope images.  This demonstrates that motion geometry has been used to form the patterns seen in the kaleidoscope images.

Challenge the students to create patterns using the elements of motion geometry.