Goodbye to my blog!

This is just "so long" it is not "goodbye."

Hello everyone! This is my last post on the blog so I would like to make a final reflection. What I learned during the subject and writing this blog.

First I'd like to talk about the first sentence. I started with that phrase "This is just “so long” it is not “goodbay ", because I think that although I am not going to write on this blog, is a tool that I can use when in the future I will be a teacher. Also as indicated by the name here I will have a small box with resources for my geometry classes.

On the other hand, thanks to this blog, little by little I have been learning new tools to use in geometry. Teachers have to have a multitude of resources to achieve meaningful learning in their students. In addition, I have learned to manage a blog, so it is one more tool to use in primary education.

Finally, I have to say that I liked having a blog, because I had to search and learn resources and activities for my future experience as a teacher.

See you soon.... Geometry!

Learning geometrical Figures

Hello! I am here again; today I would like to show you many activities that we can use to teach the geometrical figures. All these ideas I found on the internet and I think they can be very useful. They are activities especially for the lower courses, because the children are surrounded by geometric figures since they are born and therefore we have to familiarize them with these.

- Using ice cream sticks What do you think about the idea?

We can raise two activities, on the one hand (in the image on the left) children can create geometric shapes and learn how many sides have each figure. On the other hand we can do a domino of geometric figures; it will help the children to relate which figures are the same. Also we can add that when it will be the student's turn, they have to say the name of that figure to be able to place the card.

https://aprendiendomatematicas.com/geometria-con-palitos-de-helado/

https://www.learning4kids.net/2016/02/01/diy-pop-stick-shape-dominoes-game/

- 2d building.

With this type of game children will be able to manipulate and experience how many things they can do with the same figure. So that they can deduce alone how many sides has each figure, or some of its properties.

- We use Play dough!

What do you think the use of play dough to do an activity with the little ones? As we see in the image, you will be given a worksheet with a geometric figure to each pupil. They will manipulate the play dough to get the figure that s/he has.

- Learning Geometric figures in English.

Here you have two very fun and dynamic activities. In the first one the children will relate each figure with an object of the real life. On the other hand the second activity is an interaction activity in which the children have to say what figure they have and find another classmate that have the figure that they need.

http://www.mundoderukkia.com/2017/03/50-actividades-aprender-figuras.html?m=1

https://www.itsybitsyfun.com/i-have-who-has-shapes-and-colors.html

APP of Geometry

Hello again! Today I will show you three applications to learn geometry. Is it possible to learn Geometry with ICTs? Yes, it's possible. The students will be able to learn in a fun way and using the new technology which they are constantly surrounded by them.

1. Arloon Geometry

I have to say that this is the application that I liked the most, children will learn about polyhedron, prisms, pyramids and revolution bodies. But the best thing about this application is that it has the possibility to use augmented reality, so that children will be able to experiment with this emergent resource. Here I leave the link to see how the application works:

2. Slice it!

This application is a game to learn both fractions and geometry, in which the child will learn almost without noticing. In it children will use mathematical logic and geometric concepts as they play. Here I leave you the introductory video:

3. Montessori Geometry

Although it is a payment application, I think it is totally suitable for the stage of Pre-school and Primary education. With this application you can start introducing children into the world of geometry in a fun way. Here I leave a video to see what you can do with the app:

Geometric resources!

Hello everyone! Today I would like to talk about 4 very interesting resources to work geometry in our classroom. The boring theory is over, children need to experiment and use manipulative resources. Here we go!

1. POLYCUBES

This material gives us the possibility to carry out many activities. From calculate volumes to build free constructions. And look what I found; a Sudoku with polycubes, in addition to manipulating the polycubes children can develop mathematical competence in a fun way.

2. GEOMETRIC BLOCKS

This material lets the children work in a meaningful way the flat figures, the positions in the plane... Also in the photo we can see a proposed activity, which works the composition and decomposition of flat figures, which later help the child to understand many properties and geometric concepts.

3. TANGRAM

Does this game seem familiar?

It is a Intellectual puzzle game, It has 7 shapes that can be rotated and flipped either horizontally or vertically. Besides the children can manipulate geometric figures, they can use this game to learn areas, perimeters and so on.

Also I find a tangram online: http://www.matemath.com/juegos1.php?cadena=1-3. You can choose the figure and build it.

4. TRÍGONOS

The Great discovery! This resource is made up of numerous woods that allow children to make large constructions. What do you think? They can measure areas, perimeters at large scales.

Symmetry

Good afternoon to everyone! Today I want to show you different activities to work with our students the concept of symmetry.

Up to now, I had not considered how difficult it is for students (especially those of the lowest levels) to understand concepts as abstract as symmetry. But I think the solution to help our students to internalize new concepts and understand them is to do practical activities in which the child experiences why the things happen.

In addition, we have to keep in mind that geometry can not only be taught in the area of mathematics, we can work on geometry concepts in other areas such as artistic education or physical education. So we will work in a transversal way. Here I leave you several activities.

• Symmetrical art: we fold a sheet in half and re-open it. We let the children paint in one half and then fold the paper again; when they open it they will find a symmetrical drawing.

(http://bmusikgarten.blogspot.com.es/2013/10/arte-simetrico-5-ideas-y-actividades.html)

•  Mandalas: the students can make or paint symmetrical mandalas in which they can see perfectly what the symmetry is.
  
• Garlands of symmetrical figures: the children will cut a figure in a folded paper, and when they finish and open the folio, they will see that all the final figures are symmetrical. 
  

All of this and more we can do in class for our students can learn in a fun way and we can boost their creativity.

Planar Geometric Projection

Hello again everyone!

Today I bring you activities to work with children in geometry, a concept that is not considered a game itself, but we can turn it over and turn it into a game so that students can learn it in a practical and dynamic way.

Do you know what this is?

Do you think that the images on the left have any relation with the images on the right?

Yes, they have a relationship. The images on the left are what we call the planar geometric projection of the geometric figures (cube, Pyramids...) that we found in the image on the right.

So, what is planar geometric projection? A planar geometric projection is the shape of a figure made on a flat base.

It is a very basic concept, but that students can find it difficult to understand, so we have to do dynamic activities with manipulative materials. We can do activities such as the children have to build the figures from the planar geometric projection or backwards they have the figure and they have to decompose it into their planar geometric projection. So the child will see it more clearly.

On the other hand we can also offer games in which children have to deduce the figure that will be formed if we see the planar geometric projection. As the activities are offered us by this blog: https://reditics.blogspot.com/2015/04/desarrollos-planos-de-cuerpos.html

Finally, nowadays, we have to take into account that we live in a Technology Society, so to motivate our students even more, we can teach them activities or websites, which allow them to do the activities through a computer, a tablet... So I leave a resource that I think it is very interesting: http://www.matematicasvisuales.com/html/geometria/planenets/prismas.html.

In this web the students can see a figure and gradually go undone to find its planar geometric projection.

Hope you liked it! Remember, teaching is leaving a footprint in a person's life.

Road-safety and Geometry

Good afternoon everyone!

I have something different today. Do you like to work cross-cutting subjects in your classroom? I think it is a very easy and fun way to introduce issues that are not dictated by the law, through issues that are compulsory in primary.

Well today I would like to talk about road-safety education and geometry. If we look around us when we go down the street, walk or in any vehicle, we can find lots of geometric figures. Don't you believe me? Try it yourself! Go down the street and see how many geometric figures you can find.

In primary school we can introduce road-safety education in a more complex or simple way depending on the course. For example, in the lower courses, you could compare the most common traffic signals with the corresponding geometric figure. With simple worksheet, which we can find on the Internet, like this:

For the older ones, we could go in depth about the meaning of each traffic signal and thus we could create a learning of the geometric figures, their meaning in the road-safety education and the meaning of each traffic signal. We can do it with simple games like this:

(Retrieved from: https://www.escuelaenlanube.com/construye-tus-juegos-de-mesa-para-estas-navidades/)

We should introduce the contents in a dynamic and fun way; thanks to it the students will be able to acquire a meaningful learning of the world around them.

Geometry with toothpicks

Hello everyone!

These days I have been looking for activities to work the geometry with our students and I have to say that we can do activities of all kinds and with very simple materials.

Does this object seem familiar?

Today I would like to talk about geometry with toothpicks. Yes, yes, as you listen me, the toothpicks that we all have at home.

The activity proposes several challenges to our students and they have to try to solve it. The template would be this (retrieved from: https://www.actiludis.com/2009/10/30/geometria-con-palillos/):

Children will have to use their cunning and geometric knowledge to solve these challenges and they will also do in a natural way, without using formula or other theorems that they learn by heart.

This activity will help our students to develop their geometric reasoning; in addition each person will be able to find different solutions to the same problem. So I encourage you to use this activity in class as it is a very simple activity and for which you only need toothpicks.

The importance of Geometry

We've all wondered in our life, why we need to study geometry. And do you want to know the answer?

The answer to this question is in the role that geometry plays in our daily life. If you look around, you will always find something related to geometry; Lines, angles, geometric shapes...

If you don't believe me, check it yourself! Look around, how is the bed in your room? What about your kitchen table? What about the TV in the living room? Everything around us is full of geometry. Is it amazing, truth?

This is an essential reason to answer our question. It is necessary to teach geometry in the stage of primary education since a geometric knowledge is essential to can developed in their daily life. And of course our main goal in schools is to train the future members of our society to get on in their life. So they need to learn and develop all the necessary skills.

On the other hand, teachers have to teach geometry in a practical and meaningful way. So as we have seen we are surrounded by geometry, so that is a better tool to teach geometry in a dynamic way and where the child learns from their environment.

Here I leave a video, in which we can see easily that geometry is everywhere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRjswn6RuVc

Myself and my blog

Hello everyone!

Do you like geometry? Well, welcome to my blog!

In this first post I would like to introduce both my blog, and myself. I hope you like it!

I am Cristina, a student of 3ºB in the Degree of Teaching Primary Education of the University of Málaga. I think being a teacher is one of the most beautiful and grateful job.

On the other hand, this blog is created for the subject of "Didáctica de la Geometría". As its name indicates "The Geometry’s box", in a box we can store all kinds of things, so in this blog you can find all kinds of things related to Geometry.

I hope you enjoy it and you can share with me whatever you want!