Tessellation & Activity

What is a tessellation? It is a pattern made of identical shapes. Today our professor taught us about what a tessellation is. Usually the shapes must fit together without any gaps and not overlap. It is a great activity for the students to learn. 

Our teacher told us when she was taught eighth grade. She taught about tessellation with the small activity. All students got a piece of white paper and they were supposed to make their shapes and it should cover the whole piece of paper.  

Then she showed us a small video about tessellations. This site has lots of educational games for students so that they learn at the same time.  Here is a small picture of what a tessellation should look like.

After learning about tessellation we had 2 activities using Geogebra.  Based on what we learned during our last class on translation and rotation. This site is a very good study material for students. Finally, we got one more worksheet with the link and the link was made by a teacher using Geogebra. We have to find the corresponding points on a graph. Then we have to  find the x-axis and y-axis and record it in the worksheet and few other questions. 

Slide, Flip, Turn & Symmetry

The way kids understand easily is slide, flip and turn. The real way is translation, reflection, and rotation. In the classroom the teacher will teach the right way. What did we do in class today? First our professor showed us three books. The name of one of the book was Sir Circumference and it was a very cute book to read for students.

Second our professor introduced a site that usually all classrooms are subscribed. She showed us a small video and we took a quiz on the site and answered as a class. Then we learned about motion geometry which was fun and a bit challenging. At last we got 3 worksheets on translation, reflection and rotation.

Here are three definitions and pictures.

1)   Translation- Is a formation that slides each point of a figure the same distance in the same direction.

2) Reflection- Is a formation that flips a figure across a line.

3)    Rotation- Is a formation that turns a figure around the point.

4) Symmetry-Is when one shape becomes exactly like another if you flip, slide, or turn.

Here is also a site to play games and learn all about geometry. Click on this!!

Life of Volume

Apparently we did not really start by learning about volume. Today we actually finished up the surface area because we could not finish during our last class. First we learned the surface area for 5 different shapes using the formulas. The shapes on our worksheet are: cylinder, cone, sphere, prism, and pyramid. They are all different. I am so glad our Professor said we can use the formula sheet on the test and final that she made for us on surface area and volume.  

Then we learned the volume in a fun way. We got to use 4 nets, small plate, scissors, and rice. Then we were paired up with a partner.  The nets we made was for the cylinder,cone, prism, and pyramid.  So I started to cut out each nets and my partner put the tape to make the shape. The base  for all the shapes were opened because that was where we added the rice. With our plate we  poured the rice into the prism and repeat till full.  At last we recorded it and found the ratio. We did the same with the cylinder and cone.  Add the rice into the cone and fill it with rice and repeat till full. Here are the shapes we made but not filled with rice like we did in class. 


Volume Definition-The amount of 3-dimensional space an object occupies.   It's units are always "cubic."

Here is a small video I found to find the volume of a rectangular prism.

Few things + Pythagorean Theorem & Surface Area

We started with an activity in class today which was pretty fun!!  Professor Klassen said we were supposed to be in a group with at least 3 people.  She gave us a worksheet about circumference and area and said this is the best way children will learn to find circumference and area. Our professor gave us an example on what to do! Then we just followed directions with each object. One person from each group went and got all of these: long string which is not stretchy, ruler, and  5 different objects that we shared with each group:Lid,Pumpkin plate, Cup, Oats can, and Easy Button. In the worksheet we were supposed to use each item and find circumference and diameter while using the long string. Then measure it with the ruler. After that we had to record our answers by dividing the circumference and diameter to find the π.   Our 2^nd worksheet was based on Pythagorean Theorem. For this worksheet we used square centimeters. 

Here is some helpful definitions & few formulas to know while doing it! As well as finding the Pythagorean Theorem & Surface Area.

1) Circumference-It is the distance around the edge of a circle or a curved geometric figure.

2) Diameter- A straight line going through the center of a circle connecting two points on the circumference.

    * Remember to get the π you have divide       Circumference by the Diameter.

3) 2 formulas for circumference are C=πd and C= 2πr

4)  Pythagorean Theorem- The sum of the squares of the lengths of the sides of a right triangle is equal to the square of the length of the hypotenuse.

5) Formula for Pythagorean Theorem is a^2 + b^2=c^2 . 

Also a nice link to practice this formula Click here!!

  6) Surface Area- The extent of a 2-dimensional surface enclosed within a boundary. 

   7)The formula for surface area depends on the shape of the two-dimensional object. To practice this formula here is a small worksheet on square pyramids for the students and answers for the teachers!! Here you go!!

As well as a small worksheet on rectangular prism on surface area and  enjoy!!

Time for GeoBoards and Rubber Bands

Today in class we got to use GeoBoards. I really enjoyed using this. They are so much fun if you know how to use it.  So before our teacher gave us the GeoBoards she told us what we are supposed to do with it. As if we were the children in the classroom. Usually after you give it to children they see rubber bands and start shooting them up and go crazy. She said if we say it before handing it out the GeoBoards the students will use it the correct way and nothing crazy will happen. This was very helpful to know. This is what a GeoBoard looks like and a fun way to use it.

After we had the GeoBoards we got 2 worksheets. One worksheet was just filled with shapes like the one you see here but just with one shape on each GeoBoard. The first thing we were supposed to do is find the perimeter units and the area units. You must be wondering how we did that. To find the perimeter units you usually count the number of dots that is on the rubber bands. To find the area units square you usually count the number of squares inside the figure.To find interior we usually find the number that is the inside that is empty and without rubber bands.Then we had to make 3 of our own figures on our Geoboards and write our perimeter, interior and area on the white board.

The second worksheet we got was about discovering Pick’s Theorem. This worksheet there was a fish which we used and we make it on our GeoBoard. Then we had a couple questions based on finally perimeter pins, interior pins, and area pins. The perimeter and area pins are the same we did in the other worksheet.   Can you see we have 2 interior pins on this figure? On the fish below there are only 2 of the dots are not with rubber bands.

I also found few links according to what grade level you are interested in. One is based on GeoBoards click here!!  The other one is also on measurements based on area. Click on this link for more information.

Almost done!!

We have just finished our third math test today. Professor Roxanne is also a very funny teacher to have. She has activities that makes you love math in the class. As well as usually handing out worksheets. Instead of just notes.  The way she grades is a little different. She gives us points if the problem is worked out properly or half correct.  It makes sense and it is very helpful.  I wish all professors do that. It has been a long semester and we are almost done.

All the different projects were nice to do, very helpful, and we learn a lot. I thought the projects will be hard and too much with homework. Now I realize that we can use these projects when we become teachers. We learned a lot and it was very helpful. I am so glad that one of the students requested for a Practice Test. It keeps us on track what to study and know for the test.