Creative Geometry

Students tap into their creative sides as they construct colorful geometric art and explore shapes and their respective attributes. Bella's intricate work looks a bit Incan.

 

Sculpting Understanding

Many lessons begin with dry erase boards and markers. Chance selects a classmate who sits with their back to the board as vocabulary is revealed to everyone else. Until last week, students either explained meaning with text, illustrations, or a combination of the two. Now everyone wields Play-Doh. Understanding becomes three dimensional.

This word study is all about prefixes. We explore how uni, bi, tri and quad affect the meaning of root words.

The following tactile interpretations of triathlons and unicorns illuminate diverse learning styles...

Tactile Geography

The class creates major rivers and mountain ranges throughout the U.S. during a tactile geography lesson. First they locate physical maps in their textbooks, then shape the topographical features with hands and fingers. The last step is to label each one with tiny sticky notes.

Batiste admires his creation while searching for more mountains and rivers inside the container.

Aley is thrilled to be finished.

When it comes to geography (and most other things), Carl keeps a poker face.

Lincoln's Rocky Mountains are curiously uniform.

Is Madison eating part of the Mississippi?

Maya's Hershey's Kiss-like Rockies are similar to Lincoln's, but look closely and you'll notice that they're different than the Appalachian Mountains. Maya knows why (Appalachian Mountains are older and more weathered).

Tactile Geography

The class utilizes nonfiction text features to locate U.S. landforms, then pinch Play Doh ranges, and roll major rivers. Daniel locates mountain ranges, then turns a political map into a physical map.

Is Saraya giving someone a look while sculpting?

Lucas tries to hide (to no avail).

Frenya locates major rivers.

Pierce's map is complete!

Ethan creates a label for a verdant Rio Grande.

Josie smashes the Rockies.

Carolina is all smiles.

Aiden takes a break and explores to the South Pacific.

Soren's map is almost complete.

Andrew's about to label the Hudson River.

Grinning, Da'oud prefers to stand.

Messiah gets started (smiling from ear to ear).

Ally searches for the next river.

Does Alyssa discover an island in the Atlantic?

Elliott prepares to label.

Rodney flexes his geography skills.