Symmetry in Nature and Congruent Shapes All Around
General Information
Class: Second Grade
Subject: Mathematics
Lesson Title: Symmetry in Nature and Congruent Shapes All Around
Grade Level: Second Grade
Lesson Length: 3-4 days
Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is for students to demonstrate their knowledge of symmetry and congruent shapes by locating examples in nature and in their school environment. The students will create a multimedia project to show their mathematic discoveries.
Objectives
Content Objectives
All students will work in groups to investigate nature and their surroundings to find symmetry in nature and congruent shapes all around. Students will take photos using a digital camera and help create a multimedia presentation of their geometric findings. Students will share the final project with their peers.
Language Objectives
All students will be able to verbally discuss symmetry and congruent shapes with their group and write a list in their journals about their findings. Students will be able to verbally explain and share their geometric presentations.
Culture Objectives
1. ELLs will be in heterogeneous groups with a native English speaking student to discuss geometry in nature, photography, and the multimedia project. The groups will be encouraged to share how geometry in nature and the surroundings are the same and different in other parts of the US and other countries.
North Carolina Standard Course of Study – Grade 2
NCSCoS Mathematics
Competency Goal 3: The learner will perform simple transformations.
• 3.03 - Identify and make: Symmetric figures and congruent figures.
NCSCoS Computers/Technology Skills
Competency Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
• 2.09 Identify and use multimedia tools to combine text and graphics as a class/group assignment.
NCSCoS Language Arts
Competency Goal 2: The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, or viewed.
• 2.02 Use text for a variety of functions, including literary, informational, and practical
Competency Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies to create oral, written, and visual texts.
• 4.06 - Plan and make judgments about what to include in written products.
NCSCoS Science
Goal for Nature of Science
The Nature of Science Strand is designed to help students develop an understanding of the human dimensions of science, the nature of scientific thought, and the enterprise of science in society. Teachers should emphasize experiences of investigating and thinking about explanations. Students using a cooperative learning approach can conduct simple investigations and present their findings to their classmates. They discover that humans have learned much about processes in nature but much more remains to be understood. They learn that our knowledge of science is constantly growing and will never be complete.
Teacher Materials
Digital Cameras (4 or 5)
Computer
Internet access
Projector and Smart Board or TV with adapter to computer
PowerPoint, Smart Notebook, or Photo Story 3
Let’s Fly a Kite by Stuart J. Murphy
Various nature and shape books such as
• Monarch Butterflies by Nature’s Children
• Butterflies by Nature’s Children
• Trees and Leaves by Althea
• Acorn to Oak Tree by Oliver S. Owen
• If You Look Around You by Fulvio Testa
• Crinkleroot’s Book of Animal Tracking by Jim Arnosky
Math Journals
Clipboards
Pencils
Teacher assistant, volunteer, or upper grade student helper
Anecdotal record sheets
Assessment rubric
Content, Procedures, and Instructional Strategy
Activity 1 – Review of Symmetry and Congruent Shapes
Introduction - Read aloud Let’s Fly a Kite by Stuart J. Murphy to the students. As you read, discuss the book’s contents and how symmetry is found in everyday items. Also as you read the book, point to the corresponding pictures. This will help ELL students make connections. Ask students what other items they see everyday that are symmetrical.
Using the Smart Board review symmetry and symmetry in nature. Some sites available are
http://www.misterteacher.com/symmetry.html
http://educ.queensu.ca/~fmc/may2002/SymNat.htm
http://www.adrianbruce.com/Symmetry/smartboard-activity2.htm
http://www.ixl.com/math/practice/grade-2-symmetry
http://www.innovationslearning.co.uk/subjects/maths/activities/year3/symmetry/shap
e_game.asp
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/WebLessons/AskHannah/beacon002.htm
http://www.adrianbruce.com/Symmetry/index.html
Facilitatea discussion about other geometric shapes that can be found in all around us everyday. List items on the Smart Board. Allow ELL students to use their math picture dictionary. After a short discussion, point out congruent shapes to students. Review what a congruent shape is. Ask students if congruent shapes could be found around our school. Have the students identify and locate a few in the classroom. Review congruent shapes on the Smart Board using various websites such
as
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/mw/swfs/robopacker_grade2.html. Have students write in their math journals about symmetrical shapes and congruent shapes. Have students list or draw examples of items that are symmetrical or congruent.
Activity 2 – Digital Cameras
Explain to students that today they will be photographers. The students will be taking photographs of symmetry in nature and congruent shapes all around them.
Introduce students to digital cameras, the proper use of the cameras, and how to take a quality photo. (Take photos with the sun to your back if possible and zoom into the objects being photographed.) Model several times. Allow students to take random photos to practice.
Divide the students into heterogeneous groups. Four to five students per group. (These groups should be determined prior to the lesson. Ensure students are in heterogeneous groups and that ELL students have the opportunity to work with native English speaking peers.) Assign roles to students such as materials, manager, recorder, and checker. Give each group a clipboard to use to place their journals. Students will use the journals to write and draw examples of their findings. Explain and show students where to do this. Model an example for the students.
Review expectations with students before going outside to take photos. Each student should take three or four photos in their group. Students should write down or make an illustration of their findings in the journals. (Students will use this information in the multimedia project.) Students should stay with their groups and remember to complete their group job roles. ELL students will be working with native English speaking peers.
Go outside to explore nature and the surroundings around the school. Have students take photos of symmetry in nature and congruent shapes all around. Students should write in the journals about the exploration and the findings of symmetry in nature and congruent shapes all around. ELL students may write a list in the journals about their experience.
Return inside and discuss each groups’ findings. Facilitate a discussion about share geometry in nature and the surroundings are the same and different in other parts of the US and other countries. ELL students may have experiences living or visiting another country. Ask students in each group to come up with one similarity and one difference. Share these with the class.
Variation of Lesson: Students use flip cameras to record their findings.
Activity 3 – Create Multimedia Project
Students will work in their groups with the teacher, a volunteer or upper grade student helper to upload the photos to a multimedia program such as PowerPoint, Smart Notebook, or Photo Story 3 on a computer or laptop. The students in the group will use their math journals for information. The students will need to write/type descriptions about their photos, draw lines of symmetry on the objects in the photos, label photos, and/or identify congruent shapes in the photos using the multimedia program the teacher choose. ELL students will be partnered with a native English speaking student. Together they will add their parts to the presentation. Each group of students will add to the class multimedia project.
Conclusion – Presentation
After all the groups have completed their part of the project, the presentation should be shared with the class. Allow the groups of students to tell about their photos and findings. ELL students may partner with a native English speaker to share their findings. Allow them to share their presentation either on a Smart Board or TV that has an adapter attached to the computer. At the end of the presentations, students should be praised for the hard work with applause. An example is a round of applause – clap in a circle (This will need to be explained to the ELL students.)
Assessment
Use anecdotal record sheets and rubric for assessing this lesson
Author Identification
Lesson Author: Diane Ireland
School: William R. Davie Elementary School, Davie County Schools, NC
