In this unit students sort and explore two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometric shapes, identify and describe their distinguishing features and come to appreciate the efficiency of the tessellating hexagon in meeting the needs of honeybees.
In level one, students have been learning to name some common two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and have started to become familiar with their features (e.g. side, corner). When students are given opportunities, they find their own systems for sorting shapes, justifying their categories and developing the important geometric language of attributes.
As they work with three-dimensional shapes, students become aware that these are made up of flat or plane shapes that have two dimensions. It is useful for students to see that two-dimensional shapes are like a print that technically cannot be ‘held’ because it has no thickness or depth. In understanding the way in which two dimensional plane shapes build three dimensional shapes, students need to have a clear understanding of the meaning and concept of ‘dimensions’. They should be able to explain in their own words, what the abbreviations 2D and 3D mean.
The change in language from ‘sides and corners’ for two-dimensional shapes, to ‘faces, edges and vertex/vertices’ is not an insignificant one. The language itself conveys the shape category and should be emphasised and well understood.
As students manipulate shapes that are the same, they ‘discover’ tessellation and come to understand that this is also an identifying characteristic of a shape. It is not expected that they will be able to explain this using the precise quantification of angle.
As shapes don’t exist in isolation it is important that students have opportunities to explore shapes in structures around them. In their exploration of the remarkable structure of the honeycomb, students have opportunities to apply their new learning.
Associated Achievement Objectives
Science
Life processes
Ecology
English
Processes and strategies
Purposes and audiences
Ideas
This unit can be differentiated by varying the scaffolding provided and altering expectations. This will make the learning opportunities accessible to a range of learners. For example:
The context of this unit can be adapted to address diversity, and appeal to students’ interests and experiences to encourage engagement. For example:
Whilst this unit is presented as a sequence of five sessions, more sessions than this will be required between sessions 3 and 4. It is also expected that any session may extend beyond one teaching period.
This session is about exploring features of mosaic shapes and making a successful poster highlighting the special characteristics of one particular shape.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Begin by reading The Greedy Triangle.
Activity 2
Write ‘Clever shapes’ on a class chart. Explain that the students will be making their own small poster about a clever shape. Ask what the purpose of a poster is (To capture people’s attention and to give a short clear message). This could be linked to writing instruction.
Together list the features of a good poster. It grabs the audience’s attention by using:
bold print, a simple and convincing message, interesting colours, a picture or diagram.
Activity 3
Make available mosaic pattern blocks, (omit hexagons), paper, pencils, crayons or felt pens.
Activity 4
Explain that to make their posters, the students will need to draw around their ‘clever shape’ (as many times as necessary).
Set a time limit and have students complete their ‘clever shape’ posters.
Activity 5
Conclude the session by having students share their work in pairs. Display the list of criteria for a successful poster and have students self evaluate, then give partner feedback about each of the criteria. Model how to give and receive feedback with a partner, making explicit reference to the criteria listed.
Activity 6
Share clever shape posters as a class, highlighting geometric language.
This session is about understanding that a 2D shape is like a footprint, a 3D shape is something you can hold or feel, and that we use different language for each.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Activity 2
Make available hexagonal mosaic blocks, pencils and paper.
Have students each draw around one block creating an outline, identify and record ‘6 sides’ and ‘6 corners’ and write a statement about the outline. For example: “This is a 2 dimensional or 2D shape because we can only say how long it is and how wide it is.”
Activity 3
Activity 4
Return to the language listed in Session 1. Highlight the word tessellate.
Pose the task: Use your shape, a pencil and paper and show how you know whether or not a hexagon tessellates.
Activity 5
Activity 6
Conclude the session by having students each make a small poster, or spoken or digital presentation about 2D and 3D shapes that they know. Encourage them to think about the feedback they received about their posters in Session 1. Model this explicitly.
This session is about consolidating understanding of, and using language associated with, 2D and 3D shapes, understanding and making a hollow prism to create a model bees’ honeycomb.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
This session is about giving students opportunities to find and share information about honeybees, their honeycombs and the importance of the hexagon.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Activity 2
Write on the class chart:
What do honeybees need to stay alive?
How does the honeycomb ‘suit’ the bees?
Discuss each, with reference to the research information, and record the students’ understanding of the key ideas.
Recognise that:
Activity 3
Conclude the session by reading A cloak for the dreamer:
Highlight the way in which the circle shapes which did not tessellate were changed into the hexagon shapes which do tessellate and the way this is like the process in the honeycomb where the cells are thought to begin as circles. Encourage students to share their reflections about this.
This session is about synthesising the skills and learning in Sessions 1-4.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Review key learning over the past 4 sessions including referring to the clever shapes posters and feedback in Session 1.
Activity 2
Set an appropriate time limit and have students work in pairs to design and create a ‘presentation’ (poster, powerpoint, other) combining the key ideas about a clever shape and a clever creature (the honeybee).
Activity 3
Challenge students to research other clever shapes (and creatures) found in nature.
Dear parents and whānau,
We have been learning that a two dimensional shape is a bit like a footprint, with width and length as the two dimensions, and that other shapes are three dimensional.
Your child would like your help to find out more about the way in which honeybees create hexagonal honeycombs, and to learn more about other ‘clever’ shapes in nature. They will be sharing their information with their peers.
Thank you.
Printed from https://nzmaths.co.nz/resource/honeycomb at 9:40am on the 27th April 2024