Sunday 7 April 2013


Make up lesson for Thursday, 4th April 2013

How do we solve 1/2 : 3/8?

We need to do cross multiplication to solve the fraction problem and derive the answer.

                                1/2 : 3/8 = 1/2 x 8/3 = 1/1 x 4/3 = 4/3 =  1 1/3

To learn and understand geometry, we need to know their content goal which applies to all grade levels.  These consists of  shapes and properties, transformation, location and visualisation.
Van Hiele explains these properties of geometry through his 5 stages of Geometric Thought.

Stage 0 - Visualisation

This is the first stage. Students at these stage name the shape of objects based on the visual characteristics they observe. Anything with 4 sides would be a square and 3 sides is a triangle. Students begin to classify shapes according to how they look.

Level 1: Analysis

Students begin to realise that geometrical shapes have special properties that make them different from each other. They begin to notice that a square has 4 equal sides while rectangles are made up of four sides, opposite sides parallel, opposite sides same length, 4 right angles, congruent diagonals.
As students use the different shapes, their understanding of the properties of shapes increase and get refined as they begin to look at symmetry, perpendicular and parallel lines and use them to represent classes of shapes.

Level  2: Informal Deduction

Students begin to look for similarities in shapes and develop a relationship between the shapes based on their common properties. E.g. a shape with 4 right angles is a rectangle and it can also be a square because a square also has 4 right angles. They begin to use logical reasoning when they look at shapes and classify them.

For myself, I have always enjoyed "playing" with the various levels of Tangrams we have in the centre for the children to play. I have found them challenging to the mind as I place the different shapes to create a basic shape. Gratification comes when all the funny shapes are able to create one complete shape.

 

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