Big Idea:
Geometric attributes (such as sides and angles) give descriptive information about an shape’s properties and orientation, which supports visualization and problem solving.
Angle type gives more specific descriptive information about a shape's attributes and supports the understanding that shapes can be specifically classified by these properties.
This lesson builds on students' prior knowledge of definite geometric attributes, such as the type of lines and number of angles to recognize shapes. Students recognize that right angles are like square corners, and that some shapes have angles that are bigger or smaller than right angles. There are two parts included in this task. In part 1 of the task, students observe a map of "Shapletown" in order to identify, through discussion, buildings that have right angles. The two-dimensional shapes shown on the map help students understand that shapes are constructed of various angles and have many different orientations. In part 2 of the task, students are asked to apply their knowledge to angles to construct a "shape hospital" with a given set of attributes, including right angles. This lesson sets the foundation for identifying more specific groups of two-dimensional shapes, such as quadrilaterals.
Vocabulary: polygon, line, angle, right angle, square, square corner, ninety degrees, greater than, less than, triangle, quadrilateral, rectangle, trapezoid, parallelogram, rhombus, pentagon, hexagon
Special Materials:
Copy of map
Copy of dot paper
Square tiles (optional)
Tool with a square edge (paper, index card, etc.)
