Transformations

Today we worked with transformations (translations, reflections, and rotations.  Once again, I came across this lesson in

Interactive Math Journal from Runde's Room on teacherspayteachers.com. If you would like to watch the recording of the lesson, please visit:  Transformations.

We began by preparing our journal for our notes.  We wrote our learning goal:

Identify, perform, and describe a translation,

reflection, and rotation.

Next, we prepared our blank grid by labeling our x axis, our y axis and numbering our lines vertically and horizontally.  We also prepared the sections where our work would be shown.

We worked with a translation first.  

• We named the points of the trapezoid using ordered pairs (x coordinate, y coordinate OR run, jump).
• We translated the trapezoid 6 units east (making a very simple compass rose to remind us of directions).
• Then we named the new ordered pairs of the trapezoid that had been translated.

We moved on to reflections.

• We named the coordinates of the square in its original position.
• We reflected across Line R.
• We named the coordinates of the new placement of the square (noting that two points remained the same).

Finally, we looked at rotations.

• We named the coordinates of the right triangle.
• We rotated the triangle using Point J.
• We named the new coordinates of the rotated triangle noting that Point J's coordinates remained the same.

I closed each lesson by asking the kids to talk to me about their new learning.  Someone in each class was happy that I had shown how to translate a figure so many units in a given direction.  Others really liked rotating the triangle.  They thought it was funny that I used a compass rose in math and taught them my memory device (Never Eat Sour Watermelon).  I noticed that this was a good catch for some students who are still working the coordinates backwards by going up the y-axis and then going across the x-axis.  They all really enjoy getting to cut, tape, and use map pencils!

HOMEWORK:  Countdown 5.6