December 8, 2011

Triangle Quilt

Last year I realized that even though most students claimed familiarity with the types of triangles from middle school, they still didn't really know them (especially isosceles and scalene).  Plus, many were not adept at accurately constructing examples.  As a week before winter break activity I had all of my geometry classes fill a square piece of paper with examples of all the triangle vocabulary we had studied, then I took all those squares and filled a section of the hallway, making a 'quilt.'  This year I assigned the activity again, but instead of a review I used it as an introduction.  It was a great way to make sure up front that everyone had a solid experience with the vocabulary, not to mention I always enjoy the down time of a coloring activity (especially with my CP class who did this after they finished a test).

The assignment:

Triangle Quilt
The finished product:
The first round of submissions.

Final Result (Progress reports were due today
so nearly everyone has theirs in now)



Marginally related:

I love putting student artwork up in my classroom.  Whenever I see a student doodling something cool or showing off a drawing I ask them to contribute to my art gallery.  It all started last year with a centroid sailboat and has grown to take over a corner of my classroom.  I enjoy pretty things on the wall to look at, and it makes the kids feel appreciated when their work is on display.  I didn't remember to take a photo of it yet, but I do have some photos of the pieces my homeroom created after a discussion on bullying.  (These are in a separate corner.)

Aren't the birds beautiful?

The top left one says "Don't be an angry bird!"
Lots of birds because it was just before Thanksgiving and I suggested drawing hand turkeys.

3 comments:

  1. Please tell me that you're having your triangle quilt students watch the latest Vi Hart video. Or that you'll play it while they're coloring next year. Or something.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just saw the video last night after posting this! Fear not, I will show it to them on the day before winter break where one of their options is to make a Koch Snowflake.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Tina - want to borrow this. You only used one period? (Mine are 44 minutes long; if I let them finish for homework, I'll won't get a lot of them back.)

    ReplyDelete