Title – Creating and comparing two- and three-dimensional shapes

By – Jessica T.

Primary Subject – Math

Secondary Subjects – Computers / Internet

Grade Level – 4-6

Content:

The students will create and compare two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and list specific attributes about each shape.

Benchmarks:

Identify, describe, and compare familiar two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes such as triangles, rectangles, squares, circles, semi-circles, spheres, and rectangular prisms.

Learning Resources and Materials:

• Geometer’s Sketchpad®,
• list of shapes,
• white board,
• smart board,
• markers,
• paper to list attributes on.

Development of Lesson:

Introduction:
The students will create specific shapes and explore their three-dimensional properties using the Geometer’s Sketchpad software, while also comparing them to two-dimensional shapes on the white board.

Methods/Procedures:

1. Students will (in groups) create shapes from a teacher made list in the computer program Geometer’s Sketchpad.
   
2. Students will (in groups) jot down specific attributes they recognized about each of their three-dimensional shapes.
   
3. Students will (in groups) share with the class their shapes on the smart board and the class will collaboratively add to the attributes lists that they have made for each shape.
   
4. Students will then create two-dimensional shapes on the white board.
   
5. The class as a whole will then discuss the similarities and differences between three-dimensional and two-dimensional shapes.

Accommodations/Adaptations:

Students will be assigned to groups with each group containing students with different strengths and weaknesses. The students who are less willing to present in front of the class will have their shapes presented by the teacher instead of the students.

Assessment/Evaluation:

The students must successfully create the listed shapes (have the proper number of sides, angles, etc.), must list attributes about each shape, and must be able to present their shapes to the class. The students will gain an understanding of the difference between three-dimensions and two-dimensions (sphere and circle are different).

Closure:

Some students may find it confusing that a circle and a sphere look the same in a two-dimensional space. The use of the Geometer’s Sketchpad will be useful in showing students a shape in a three-dimensional space rather than trying to show a three-dimensional shape in a two-dimensional space. The software will help students in distinguishing between two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes while highlighting attributes of three-dimensional shapes.

E-Mail

Jessica T.

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