Geometry: Polygons & Angles

Our next Math Expressions unit covers Polygons & Angles. To help the students "see" these more often, our third grade team taped down some polygons and angles to our carpets.

I use these in a couple ways:

1. We have gone on "Right Angle Hunts" where we look carefully at each shape or angle to determine if there is a right angle. My students have also learned the geometry words acute and obtuse. They love sounding so smart using these grown up math words!
2. I have also called on students or groups of students to "Find the ____" (trapezoid, rectangle, obtuse triangle, etc.). Once everyone is in their places, they have to discuss as a small group what makes their shape/angle unique and unlike the others in the room. Each group then gets to share about their shape/angle's attributes.

Rearranged Art

I saw this pin and loved the idea!

Tessellation Ties

Math & Art in one!

Today we did a math and art combo! We made Tessellation Ties. This is an idea I got from the book MathART projects. We discussed where we see tessellations in our everyday lives as well as how they work likes puzzles.

Each student was given a square of cardstock to create their own tessellations. Our rules were: cut only on two touching sides (not opposite sides), cut simple shapes (triangles, squares, half-circles, rectangles), and only cut once. After the students cut their shapes, I gave them tape to create the tessellations. The cut piece must be taped to the opposite side and as close as possible to the exact spot of the cut.

The students were given tie outlines and create their tessellations. After then filled their ties, they decorated them however they liked!

Then, students cut them out and we put string on them to display our awesome tessellation ties!

Hey Art! Get into Shape!

Today in Art, we played with shapes. We have learned our 3rd Grade shapes and now we got a little creative with them. Students were created scenes using only squares, rectangles, rhombi, triangles, hexagons, and/or trapezoids. Then the students labeled them with which shapes they used. Check them out:

Geometry, Shapes, & Polygons

We can see shapes all around us! Everywhere we go, we are surrounded by shapes. Today, we learned a bit more about the shapes we see. We also learned some tricks to remembering each shape. Here's a little bit about each shape:

After learning about each shape, we played a game called "The Last Block". With a partner, students used polygons to fill a large hexagon. Each time a partner set down a shape, they were to name it. The partner to place the last polygon was the winner, but the students also work together to fill the shape.