I love asking my upper elementary students to draw a curved line using only straight lines that are at least five inches in length. It stumps them. And that’s part of the fun. Because now I get to show them how to do it! This is a super easy lesson and great to keep in their desks to work on when they finish other work. Mounted on black construction paper, these look awesome on a bulletin board. Students use a…
Have your kids been watching the summer Olympics? Are they itching to see how far they can jump or throw objects? In honor of the 2012 Summer Olympics, we’re going to give our kids a chance to compete in their own track and field events…and sneak in a little math while we’re at it! For each of the events below, use masking tape to indicate the starting line. Give kids an opportunity to practice each of the events before the…
This is a super easy, super fun activity where students discover the interior angle measurements of different polygons. I start with the triangle (see photo) and then have them work in groups to prove other interior angle measurements. Collaboration and communication in the math classroom is so important and this is an easy way to do it. Teams can then do a 1-2 minute presentation which helps develop their public speaking skills. CCSS: 4.MD.5; 4.MD.5; 4.MD.7
I love M.C. Escher! I have a whole book on his work and love to share it with my students when we’re studying angle measurement. That’s because we’re going to tie math and art together through modifying polygons similar to how M.C. Escher did it in some of his paintings. It’s all about tessellating shapes and angles. Using pattern blocks, I show students how shapes tessellate. See photo below. Then, I have students determine the angle measurement of each of…
This is a super easy, super fun activity to tie art in with bilateral (mirror) symmetry. These are some samples of third and fourth grade work. CCSS: 4.G.3