Unit 3: Examples of Hands-On Manipulatives in Geometry Topics

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Unit 3 Overview

Examples of Hands-On Manipulatives in Geometry Topics

In the third unit of the mini-course, participants will discover how hands-on manipulatives can be used to enhance comprehension of various geometry topics, including surface area and volume of three-dimensional figures, different types of transformations, and more. The unit ends with participants working in small groups to create a lesson plan for a given geometry topic that incorporates the use of hands-on manipulatives to support mathematical understanding to demonstrate their learning.

Lesson 1: Volume and Surface Area

Lesson 2: Triangle Theorems

Lesson 3: Geometric Transformations

Lesson 4: Design Geometry Lesson Plan

Lesson 1: Volume and Surface Area

Nets can be used as a hands-on manipulative to help students visualize how to calculate the surface area of three-dimensional figures.

Task 1 - Directions: Watch the following videos that demonstrate how to use unit cubes to find the volume of rectangular prisms and nets to find the surface area of various figures.

Volume of Rectangular Prisms

Surface Area with Nets

Analyze the videos and describe how the use of hands-on manipulatives enhances student learning. Specifically think about how hands-on manipulatives provide advantages over just memorizing the formulas for volume and surface area. Explain how you may use the information learned from these videos to improve your existing lesson plans (200-300 words). Post your response to the discussion board. Reply to at least one classmate.

Task 2 - Directions: If there are additional hands-on manipulatives that you use in your classroom to support the learning of volume and surface area, please add it to the Slide 6 of the Jamboard using a Sticky Note. This shared list of hands-on manipulatives will continue to grow throughout the mini-course as members keep contributing to the shared space. Refer to the Jamboard at the end of each lesson to get inspiration for new idea of how you can utilize hands-on manipulative in your mathematics classroom.

Lesson 2: Triangle Theorems

Hands-on manipulatives can be to help students prove various triangle theorems and understand the mathematical reasoning behind the theorems.

Task 1 - Directions: Watch the following videos that demonstrate how to use hands-on manipulatives to prove several triangle theorems.

Triangle Sum Theorem

Pythagorean Theorem

Analyze the videos and describe how the use of hands-on manipulatives enhances student learning. Explain how you may use the information learned from these videos to improve your existing lesson plans (200-300 words). Post your response to the discussion board. Reply to at least one classmate.

Task 2 - Directions: If there are additional hands-on manipulatives that you use in your classroom to support the learning of simplifying expressions, please add it to the Slide 7 of the Jamboard using a Sticky Note. This shared list of hands-on manipulatives will continue to grow throughout the mini-course as members keep contributing to the shared space. Refer to the Jamboard at the end of each lesson to get inspiration for new idea of how you can utilize hands-on manipulative in your mathematics classroom.

Lesson 3: Geometric Transformations

The use of hands-on manipulatives can make the concept of geometric rotations easier for students to understand. This lesson provides two examples of this can be achieved.

Task 1 - Directions: Watch the following videos that demonstrate how to use hands-on manipulatives to complete geometric rotations on a coordinate grid.

Rotations about the Origin

Rotations about a Point

Analyze the videos and describe how the use of hands-on manipulatives enhances student learning. Specifically the key differences between the two methods and the advantages of the method you prefer. Explain how you may use the information learned from these videos to improve your existing lesson plans (200-300 words). Post your response to the discussion board. Reply to at least one classmate.

Task 2 - Directions: If there are additional hands-on manipulatives that you use in your classroom to support the learning of solving equations, please add it to the Slide 8 of the Jamboard using a Sticky Note. This shared list of hands-on manipulatives will continue to grow throughout the mini-course as members keep contributing to the shared space. Refer to the Jamboard at the end of each lesson to get inspiration for new idea of how you can utilize hands-on manipulative in your mathematics classroom.

Lesson 4: Design Geometry Lesson Plan

Task 1 - Directions: Participants will work in small groups to design a geometry lesson plan centered around using hands-on manipulatives to promote mathematical reasoning and greater levels of understanding. Each groups will be assigned one of the following topics for their geometry lesson plan:

Volume of a Cylinder
Volume of a Cone
Surface Area of a Cylinder
Triangle Exterior Sum Theorem
Triangle Inequality Theorem
Translating Figures
Reflecting Figures over the x-axis and y-axis

Lesson Plan Template - Each lesson plan must include objectives, instructional plan/activities, hands-on manipulatives used, a rationale of how the use hands-on manipulatives was beneficial to student learning.

Task 2 - Directions: If there are additional hands-on manipulatives that you use in your classroom to support the learning of any geometry topic, please add it to the Slide 9 of the Jamboard using a Sticky Note. This shared list of hands-on manipulatives will continue to grow throughout the mini-course as members keep contributing to the shared space. Refer to the Jamboard at the end of each lesson to get inspiration for new idea of how you can utilize hands-on manipulative in your mathematics classroom.

Click here to continue to Unit 4: Putting It Into Practice.

References

missnorledge. (2014, November 22). Pythagoras’ theorem and proof (cut-out demo) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxyti_wCWaE

Representing Volume of Right Rectangular Prisms with Unit Cubes. (2021, February 9). [Video]. PBS LearningMedia. https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/mgbh.math.md.rectprism/representing-volume-of-right-rectangular-prisms-with-unit-cubes/

Scaffolded Math and Science. (2022, February 3). Hands-on Geometric Rotations in the coordinate plane with a hole punch! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHVsw5Qra54

Simpson_Math. (2016, June 11). Sum of Interior Angles of a Triangle [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yRDwYYjgOY

StreepeyMath. (2020, April 25). Surface Area from Nets [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf_caF3ViOM

Teacher Kasmir Loves Maths. (2017, September 29). Rotation Using Tracing Papers [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrVRETO0Y3s