Context: These lessons and reflection were created fall 2007 in CI 4030, under the advisement of Betty Dishman. These lessons were taught in a second grade classroom at Blue Ridge Elementary School.

The purpose of these lessons was to communicate the basics of symmetry and congruency to the second grade class. During the lessons a Smart Board was used to display different shapes and figures.

Impact: By participating in these lessons the students learned about symmetry and congruency in everyday objects. They learned how to make lines of symmetry and how it creates equal parts. After the completion of these lessons the students had a better understand of the words symmetry and congruency and how to identify objects that have these qualities. To do these lessons it helped if the students knew how to identify basic geometric shapes.

Alignment:

Standard 2: Elementary teachers have a broad knowledge and understanding of the major concepts in mathematics.

Indicator 2: This standard was met because the students were taught how to identify and draw symmetric and congruent shapes.

Standard 7: Elementary teachers use developmentally appropriate strategies to design and deliver instruction in all areas of the elementary curriculum.

Indicator 1: This standard was met by aligning the lesson with the second grade Standard Course of Study for mathematics. The lessons covered standard 3.03 in the second grade curriculum.

Indicator 2: This standard was met by having the students draw lines of symmetry through pieces of art as well as using the smart board to do most of the work.

Indicator 3: This standard was met by using the students’ prior knowledge of geometric shapes. They were first assessed on objects that they knew and their prior ability to divide shapes into equal parts.

Indicator 5: This standard was met by adjust the lessons to the skills that they students already knew and presenting information in multiple ways. There were also activities that challenged the students and their ability to perform certain task.

Indicator 6: This standard was met by allowing the lower performing students to have fewer problems to complete and challenging the higher level students with more complex problems.

Indicator 7: This standard was met by having individual students do work on the smart board, having the class complete worksheets, and oral answers.

Standard 9: Elementary teachers understand and use the processes of problem solving, reasoning, and proof, communication, connection and representation as the foundation for the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Indicator 1: This standard was met through the teaching of all three lessons because the students were able to expand on a topic that they were only slightly familiar with. They had to take what they know to figure out how to do the work that was asked of them next.

Indicator 2: This indicator was by using examples and problems from the student’s everyday life to show that this type of information is important to them now and even more so later in life.

Indicator 3: During the lessons the students had to announce their problems and answers. They could work together to figure out the answers.

Indicator 4: There was a connection made between the lessons because it after learning symmetric it made it easy to learn congruency because it is based on the same concept. They were also required to look at objects around them and apply how that object can relate to symmetry or congruency.

Indicator 5: This standard was met because every activity that the class was to do was model for them first. Using the smart board they were able to see my examples and based theirs from it.