ByAlliFerrara,ElizabethBrown,and
LaurenChristman
OverviewofLesson
Studentswillbeginbyusingageometry
flashcardsappontheirmentors'phonesto
reviewgeometricshapes.Studentswillthen
beplacedingroupsoffourandberequiredto
formulateshapeswiththeirbodiesgiventhe
nameoftheshape.Afterwards,studentswill
havetoidentifythenameoftheshapethat
theirgroups'mentorsareforming.
DescriptionofLearners
Theteachingenvironment:Asthestudents
traveltocampustoparticipateinthisprogram,
alargeclassroomwithseveralroundtables
hasbeenreservedfortheSTEMafternoon.
Studentsarefourthgradelevellearners
ranginginagesbetween810yearsoldof
bothgenders.
Priortothisactivity,studentshavebeen
introducedtogeometricshapesduringtheir
mathclassatschool,buttheirknowledgeon
thissubjectismoderatelylow.
Studentswillneedtohavesomeknowledgeof
howtouseaniPhone(fromtheircollege
mentor)andnavigateanappcorrectlyonceit
isgiventothem.
LearningGoals
LearningObjectives
Studentswillunderstandthedifferences
betweenavarietyofgeometricshapes.
Giventhenameofashape,studentswillbe
abletoidentifyandformtheshapewiththeir
bodiesingroupsoffourinunderaminutewith
100%accuracy.
Shownashapeformedbythecollege
mentors,studentswillbeablecorrectlyidentify
whattheshapeiswith100%accuracy.
Standards
4.G.1:Identify,describe,anddraw
parallelograms,rhombuses,andtrapezoids
usingappropriatetools
PS.7:Lookforandmakeuseofshape
structure
RequiredMaterials
AniPhone(foreachcollegementor)
Projectorfromtheinstructorsstation
Halfsheetsofpaperforthementorslisting
shapestomakeforthestudentstoidentify
Funprizesforthegame
Snacksforthestudents
Procedures
StudentswillcometotheSTEMroomthatis
reservedforthemwiththeircollegementor.
Studentsandtheircollegebuddywillspread
throughouttheroomandlistencarefullytothe
introductionfromtheinstructor.
Afiveminuteoverviewofthelessonwillbe
givenbytheinstructor,thenstudentswillbe
abletogotoworkwiththeirbuddy.
Duringtheoverview,studentswillbeableto
eattheirsnacktogettheirbrainsfuledforthe
lesson.
Forthefirst10minutes,studentswillworkwith
theirbuddiesonaniPhoneappcalledLearn
Shapes.Thisappwillhelpstudentsgetan
overviewofgeometricshapesbeforethe
groupactivityandassessment.
Thenext10minuteswillbedevotedtoagroup
activity.Studentswillbedividedupintofive
groupsoffourstudentswiththeirfourcollege
buddiesaswell.
Duringthese10minutes,theinstructorwilluse
theprojectorandprojectanameofashapeon
thescreenandthestudents(intheirgroups)
willhaveoneminutetomakethatshapewith
theirbodies.Whichevergroupdoesthiswith
thebestaccuracyattheendoftheminutewill
winthatpointandwhichevergrouphasthe
mostpointsattheendofthe10minuteswill
winthegameandreceiveprizes.
Thelast10minuteswillbedevotedtoan
assessmentwiththecollegebuddies.
Thebuddiesineachgroupwillhaveahalf
sheetofpaperstatingwhatshapestomake
andthestudentswillthenhavetoidentifythe
nameoftheshapethatismade.
Assessment
Studentswillbeassessedonhowwellthey
canmaketheshapegiventheword.Aperfect
scorewillbeawardedtostudentswhoperform
theactivitywith100%accuracy.
Studentswillalsobeassessedonhowwell
theycannameoridentifytheshapewhen
shownbythecollegementor.Aperfectscore
willbeawardedtostudentswhoperformthe
activitywith100%accuracy.
Mentorswillhavearubrictoassesstheir
studentwith.Seebelowforrubric.
References
http://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/standa
rds/mathematics/20140626mathg4architec
turewithfrontmatter.pdf
LessonInspiration:
Todevelopthislessonwelookedthroughthemathstandardsforfourthgradersonthe
IndianaStateDepartmentofEducationwebsite.Fromthere,wechosetwostandardsrelated
toshapesandgeometry.Wewantedtointegratetechnologyintoourlessonaswellasmake
itfunforthestudents.Weknowthattheywillhavebeeninclassalldayandwon'twanttosit
throughanotherclass.WesearchedforanappintheiPhoneappstorethatwecoulduseto
reviewshapesoneonwiththestudentsandtheirmentors.Theappwefoundiscalled
"ShapesforKids."Wethenthoughtaboutwaystogetthestudentsoutoftheirseatsand
moving.Wedecidedtocomeupwithacompetitivegamewherestudentsworkinteamsto
buildshapesusingtheirbodies.
References
Nikirk,M.(2012).TeachingSTEMtoMillennialStudents.TechDirections,71(7),1315.
ThisarticleisaboutwaysforteacherstoengagestudentsoftheMillennialGeneration
inSTEMlearning.Afewofitssuggestionsweretoutilizetechnologyandgetstudents
involvedandmovingduringthelesson.Italsodiscussedusingteamworkinsteadof
groupwork.Thedifferenceisthatateamhasapurpose.Weusedallthreeofthese
strategiesinourlessonbyusingphoneappsandcreatingateamcompetitionforthe
studentstoapplytheirknowledge.
TangWeeTeo&KaijieJustinKe(2014)ChallengesinSTEMTeaching:Implicationfor
PreserviceandInserviceTeacherEducationProgram,TheoryIntoPractice,53:1,
1824,DOI:10.1080/00405841.2014.862116
ThearticlewaswrittenbyformerSTEMteachersandtheycommentonhowits
implicationscanaffecttheteacherandstudents.Theywantedtoraisequestions
concerningwhetherpreserviceteacherswouldhavethesamechancesofteachingat
aSTEMschool.Whichtheyexplaintobenotpossible.Oneteacherthatthey
interviewedinthearticlehadexperienceinamainstreamsecondaryschoolwhenshe
gotrecruitedtoteachSTEMclasses.Shefoundthatmostofthekidswerelabeledas
giftedortalentedbutshefeltthatitwashardtoaccustomthelessonstotheirabilities
whenshefeltthatnotallthekidsweregiftedinthesameareas.
Mentors:
Inyourgroup,maketheseshapewithyourbodiesforthestudentstoidentify.Theyneedto
tellyouthecorrectnameoftheshape.
Hexagon
TriangularPyramid
Rhombus
Cube
Triangle
Diamond
Trapezoid
Pentagon
Octagon
Parallelogram
Mentors:
Inyourgroup,maketheseshapewithyourbodiesforthestudentstoidentify.Theyneedto
tellyouthecorrectnameoftheshape.
Hexagon
TriangularPyramid
Rhombus
Cube
Triangle
Diamond
Trapezoid
Pentagon
Octagon
Parallelogram
MakeTheShape!
StudentsName:_______________
MentorsName:_______________
*Circleyesornonexttothenameoftheshapeaccording
tothestudentsabilitytomaketheshapewiththeirgroup.
Parallelogram
yes
no
Rhombus
yes
no
Hexagon
yes
no
Cube
yes
no
Pentagonyes
no
Triangle
yes
no
TriangularPyramid yes
no
Octagon
yes
no
Diamondyes
no
Trapezoid
yes
no
*Didyourstudentworkwellwithhis/hergroup?YesNo
YouTubeVideo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU0DVe6gjkc&feature
=youtu.be