Unit Title: Which Way Does It Go? Functional Writing and Geometry
Unit Summary: Students construct geometric patterns, beginning with pattern blocks and progressing to tessellations. Groups of students collaborate to write concise directions using mathematical language for building new patterns. Directions are emailed to partner classrooms where they are interpreted and patterns constructed. Digital photographs are displayed on a web site of the original work and the work constructed from the shared written directions. Students communicate with friendly letters their support for their partner's work.
Grade 4Math: Geometric Properties and Transformation of Shapes
Writing: Functional and Expository writing of directions, procedures, and letters.
Curriculum Framing Questions:
Why is communication essential to understanding?How can mathematical language be used to clearly convey understanding?
What communication methods do you need to convey clear directions?What mathematical language describes geometric objects?
What mathematical language can be used to describe visual transformations of geometric objects?
Unit Summary: Students construct geometric patterns, beginning with pattern blocks and progressing to tessellations. Groups of students collaborate to write concise directions using mathematical language for building new patterns. Directions are emailed to partner classrooms where they are interpreted and patterns constructed. Digital photographs are displayed on a web site of the original work and the work constructed from the shared written directions. Students communicate with friendly letters their support for their partner's work.
Grade 4Math: Geometric Properties and Transformation of Shapes
Writing: Functional and Expository writing of directions, procedures, and letters.
Curriculum Framing Questions:
Why is communication essential to understanding?How can mathematical language be used to clearly convey understanding?
What communication methods do you need to convey clear directions?What mathematical language describes geometric objects?
What mathematical language can be used to describe visual transformations of geometric objects?
Blog:
Which Way Does It Go? blog: http://aswanson2.edublogs.org/
Unit Plan
Unit Foundation
Unit Detail
Assessment Summary
Unit Resources
Assessment Examples:
Assessment Example
Student Sample:
The BlueMan Group student sample work: http://aswanson2.wikispaces.com/BlueManGroup
Facilitation/Student Support Resource
Unit Introduction PowerPoint for use with students