shapes

This unit seeks to connect learning outcomes across all five content strands, number, geometry, statistics, and measurement. However the context lends itself strongly to use of measurement and statistics. In the unit students investigate questions that involve them in experiment design, data collection and display, and drawing conclusions from data. Students investigate the measurements of breakfast biscuits, how much milk they absorb, how strong they are and the hidden truth about collecting cards.

We begin this unit by using our bodies to measure the area of different shapes drawn on the floor. We further develop our understanding of area when we use beans, counters and blocks to measure the area of objects in the classroom.

In this unit we apply our understanding of why tessellations work to form our own unique tessellating shapes. We use these shapes to create interesting pieces of art in the style of M.C. Escher.

All M. C. Escher works (C) Cordon Art, Baarn, the Netherlands. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

This unit examines regular tessellations, that is, tessellations that can be made using only one type of regular polygon, and semi-regular tessellations, where more than one type of regular polygon is involved. Students are required to investigate what properties tessellating shapes must have in order to cover the plane with no gaps or overlaps.

In this unit students explore tessellations using the context of bathroom tiles. Squares and dominoes are used in a variety of different colour combinations to help students develop design ideas. The unit finishes with students designing their own tile tessellation and making a model of their design.

This unit involves folding and cutting paper to see the number patterns that are produced and to see what geometric shapes can be made. This unit contains similar content to Fold and Cut.  You may want to take parts from both units when planning your own teaching.

In this unit students explore line symmetry and the names and attributes of two-dimensional mathematical shapes. The context of this unit is students folding and cutting out shapes to make a series of mathematical shapes.

In this unit students explore lines of symmetry in pictures, shapes and patterns and use their own words to describe the symmetry.