The best way to be convinced of geometric principles is to prove them by hand, moving shapes around, adjusting side lengths and angles and determining whether different shapes are possible. The use of pegboards with rubber bands, nets that can be folded into geometric solids, line segments that can be snapped together with a protractor can make geometric truths come alive. Pencil and paper work can only go so far, and it can frequently be meaningless without a physical basis in the real world. Once students have been able to swim around in the concepts, having the adhesive easel pads will allow us to generate lists of ideas on the fly and post them around the class for quick reference.
An essential skill for success in college and beyond is the effective communication of ideas both one-on-one and in front of a large group. My students, with the use of a high-quality document camera with which to show off their high-quality work, can learn the necessary skills of explaining their process to their peers. Moreover, when I'm guiding my students through example problems, I can be working off of the same document my students are using, using Think Alouds to show how I might approach a confusing multi-step problem.
About my class
The best way to be convinced of geometric principles is to prove them by hand, moving shapes around, adjusting side lengths and angles and determining whether different shapes are possible. The use of pegboards with rubber bands, nets that can be folded into geometric solids, line segments that can be snapped together with a protractor can make geometric truths come alive. Pencil and paper work can only go so far, and it can frequently be meaningless without a physical basis in the real world. Once students have been able to swim around in the concepts, having the adhesive easel pads will allow us to generate lists of ideas on the fly and post them around the class for quick reference.
An essential skill for success in college and beyond is the effective communication of ideas both one-on-one and in front of a large group. My students, with the use of a high-quality document camera with which to show off their high-quality work, can learn the necessary skills of explaining their process to their peers. Moreover, when I'm guiding my students through example problems, I can be working off of the same document my students are using, using Think Alouds to show how I might approach a confusing multi-step problem.
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