Tracy Guerrera Jasmine Rivera Jodi-Ann Martells

Brief Overview Purpose Present a transformations activity for students to complete Get feedback from students and teachers about the lesson Focus Transformation activity Student and teacher feedback What did and didn’t work Audience Both students and teachers Lessons from student work and lessons from the teachers Questions from author s after article was written

Standards NCTM Standards Apply transformations and use symmetry to analyze mathematical situations Analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships NETS Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations.

Key Points Spatial Reasoning Understanding transformations using spatial reasoning skills Visualize and then create slides, flips and turns using both the computer and paper Tessellations involving rotation, reflection and symmetry Students determine how moving one block at a time will change the shape

Key Points Technology Electronic pattern blocks assist students in completing the activity Ensures that all students have enough pattern blocks to use Students are using paper to screen learning Teachers need to become more comfortable with using technology

Strengths All students have enough pattern blocks to use and encourages students “to act on manipulatives in ways that are more in line with the mental actions that we want students to learn” Students learn three different types of transformations. Slide Flip Turn Uses spatial, mathematical, and interpersonal intelligence Could be used in grades 1 through 7 & students were comfortable with technology Gave students opportunities to communicate mathematically, use various mathematical representations, reason mathematically, and problem solve.

Weaknesses The software doesn't tell the students if they are correct. Activity was too wordy. Definitions weren't clear enough for students Students spent so much time drawing and coloring their elaborate figures that they did not have time to do the entire activity.

Implementing Key Points in the Classroom To help students understand and visualize different transformations, have them create a shape and then try sliding, flipping, and turning the shape. Students can make predictions with the shapes and use their own background knowledge. In this activity technology is used to assist in the students' understanding of the three transformations and be able to visualize them. The technology is seen as a way for the students' to experiment with the shapes and recognize patterns The teacher needs to be more comfortable with the technology because there will be a few students who will need help.

Discussion Questions Would we know more about students’ thinking with regard to transformations as a result of the interaction? Why or why not? Is the technology being used in a meaningful way or just as an add-on? Explain your reasoning. What are some ways to change and/or expand the activity to address some of the issues presented by the teachers and students? How can school change it so that teachers are more comfortable or as comfortable as students with technology?

Bibliography Sakshaug, Lynae and Kay Wolhuler. Virtual Tile Turning. Volume 1, Number 3.