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Welcome to my math blog! The purpose of this blog is to help you stay informed about our learning and experiences that have taken place during our math class. I have also included links your child (and you) may want to use in order to supplement math learning in 5th grade.

Thursday, March 30, 2017

STEAM: Kaleidoscopic Octagon (Reflectional and Rotational Symmetry) Day 2


STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. The end results are students who take thoughtful risks, engage in experiential learning, persist in problem-solving, embrace collaboration, and work through the creative process. These are the innovators, educators, leaders, and learners of the 21st century!  (http://educationcloset.com/steam/what-is-steam/

We continued working on our octagons today.  As students worked, the emphasis was still on symmetry.


  • Axis of Symmetry - a line through a shape so that each side is a mirror image
  • Reflectional Symmetry - a type of symmetry where one half is the reflection of the other
  • Rotational Symmetry - the shape can be rotated some amount and still looks the same.

As students finished using the MIRA tool, they were asked to outline their design in black marker, and then to color their design.  Before they began to color, I reemphasized that reflectional and rotational symmetry are also dependent on the colors used.  Therefore, what is reflected MUST also reflect the same color or the symmetry is lost.

Once completed, these will be cut out, glued to a black background, laminated and displayed on lockers.

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