ALEX Lesson Plans

Subject: Mathematics (3 - 4)
Title: Geometric Man
Description: The students will explore angles, rays, line segments, perpendicular lines, parallel lines, and two-dimensional figures through the use of the book "Shape Up! Fun With Triangles and Other Polygons" by David A. Adler. They will also classify quadrilaterals through an interactive website.

Subject: Mathematics (3 - 4), or Technology Education (3 - 5)
Title: Sign Shapes
Description: Students will take a field trip (or use computer) to locate 9 different shapes in the form of store signs. They will use digital cameras to take pictures (or copy and paste pictures) of the shapes and then create a slide show using the pictures. On each page of the slide show, the student will name the shape, number of sides, angles and vertices and also draw lines of symmetry.

Subject: Mathematics (3 - 5), or Technology Education (3 - 5)
Title: A What? A What? A Quadrilateral
Description: In this lesson, students will identify the characteristics of a quadrilateral. Students will have a chance categorize quadrilaterals into subgroups such as squares, rhombuses, rectangles, and nonregular quadrilaterals. This lesson using geometric shapes for a hands-on activity and includes a quadrilateral quest via the internet at the end.

Subject: Mathematics (3)
Title: It's In The Bag
Description: This lesson is a unique and fun way to review perimeter, angles, and types of adjectives. Students pick an object from the classroom that will fit in a paper lunch bag. They investigate their object and fill in the attached sheet. You can then make a bulletin board out in the hall by attaching the bag (with the object in it) below or beside the info sheet. Students can come by and try to guess what object is in the bag by looking at the info sheet. They can then check their guess by looking in the bag.

Subject: Character Education (K - 12), or English Language Arts (K), or Mathematics (K - 4)
Title: Twisted Tangrams
Description: In this lesson students will use a hands-on approach to problem solving. They will construct and manipulate tangrams to recreate animals from a story. This lesson plan was created as a result of the Girls Engaged in Math and Science, GEMS Project funded by the Malone Family Foundation.

Subject: Arts Education (5), or Mathematics (3 - 5)
Title: "Polly"gon Pockets
Description: In this lesson, students will explore the attributes of various polygons. Students will need to be in 12 cooperative groups (one for each shape being explored). They will complete a jigsaw puzzle to discover their shape and then list the attributes they notice about it. They will create a foldable that shows each polygon, describes its attributes, and lists items in our world that use that shape. Then, the students will create a collage using either magazines and 9x12 construction paper or the Internet and Microsoft Word to create a collage of items in our world that use polygon shapes. This lesson plan was created as a result of the Girls Engaged in Math and Science, GEMS Project funded by the Malone Family Foundation.

Subject: Arts Education (5), or English Language Arts (5), or English Language Arts (5), or Mathematics (3 - 4), or Technology Education (3 - 5)
Title: Angles in the Mix
Description: In this lesson, students will observe art paintings for angles - straight, right, obtuse, and acute. Using digital cameras, students will find "art" in their environment, which displays those same types of angles. They will use their photos to create a Photo Story describing the angles in their environmental art and share it with the class. Lastly, students will choose one of their photos to paint and label the angles found in their art.This lesson plan was created as a result of the Girls Engaged in Math and Science, GEMS Project funded by the Malone Family Foundation.

Subject: Arts Education (5), or Mathematics (3), or Technology Education (3 - 5)
Title: Congruent and Similar Figures
Description: This lesson provides a variety of hands-on activities for the students to understand the difference between congruent and similar figures. Students will use geoboards, pattern blocks, and the Internet to explore the difference. The activities can be used to reach all learning types.

Subject: Mathematics (3), or Technology Education (3 - 5)
Title: Capturing Polygons
Description: During this lesson students discover the different types of polygons. They use a variety of methods to learn to identify polygons. They realize that polygons are everywhere as they search for polygons around the school.

Subject: Mathematics (3), or Technology Education (3 - 5)
Title: Quadrilaterals
Description: During this lesson students explore the Internet to learn about quadrilaterals. Students create the different types of quadrilaterals and use technology to learn how to classify quadrilaterals.

Subject: English Language Arts (4), or English Language Arts (4), or Mathematics (3), or Technology Education (3 - 5)
Title: ABC's of Geometry
Description: During this lesson students explore the world of geometry on the Internet. Students create their own list of terms by navigating geometry sites. Students also reinforce what they have learned using interactive Internet sites.

Subject: Mathematics (3), or Technology Education (3 - 5)
Title: Geo Picture
Description: During this lesson students use their imagination to create a fascinating picture using only straight lines. Students have the opportunity to illustrate their designs on an interactive Internet site.

Thinkfinity Lesson Plans

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Shapes at Work Add Bookmark
Description: The purpose of this lesson, from Science NetLinks, is to look for shapes in both the natural and designed world; to investigate the ways in which shapes can be used; to design and build structures using appropriate shapes. In this lesson, students record shapes that they find around them, identifying those that can be used to solve practical problems and build larger structures. Students will explore the uses of various shapes and record their findings in a science journal. It would also be helpful to display class findings on a bulletin board entitled Shapes We Have Used (or Made).
Thinkfinity Partner: Science NetLinks
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Arts,Mathematics
Title: Shape Search Add Bookmark
Description: This reproducible activity sheet, from an Illuminations lesson, prompts students to list all the shapes they can find in photos of various man-made structures. They are also asked to list the number of sides each shape has.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Rectangles and Parallelograms Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, from Illuminations, students use dynamic software to examine the properties of rectangles and parallelograms and then identify what distinguishes a rectangle from a more general parallelogram. Using spatial relationships, they examine the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes. The lesson links to a virtual manipulative that allows students to compare rectangles and parallelograms.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Study the Shapes Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students use an online, interactive activity to analyze characteristics and properties of three-dimensional geometric shapes; develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships; and use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems. Students investigate geometric shapes in the classroom and complete a chart describing the characteristics of several geometric solids.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Geometric Solids and Their Properties Add Bookmark
Description: In this five-lesson unit from Illuminations, students analyze characteristics and properties of three-dimensional geometric shapes; develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships; and use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems. After being introduced to shapes, they look for patterns, construct a solid, and build a shape jacket.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Making a Shape Jacket Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students use an online, interactive activity to analyze characteristics and properties of three-dimensional geometric shapes; develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships; and use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems. Students investigate and use nets--jackets for geometric solids that can be folded to create the surface of the solid, representing a polyhedron in two dimensions.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Arts,Mathematics
Title: Seeing Geometry in Art Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students explore the geometric figures Wassily Kandinsky used in his art. Students use paintings printed during a previous lesson to connect their knowledge of geometric shapes and terms with Kandinsky s use of geometric figures. Several pieces of literature appropriate for use with this lesson are suggested.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics,Science
Title: Design Your Own Space Probe Add Bookmark
Description: Activity. Students design a space probe that will gather extreme weather information on a planet they choose.
Thinkfinity Partner: National Geographic Education
Grade Span: 2,3,4,5

Subject: Arts,Mathematics
Title: Getting to Know the Shapes Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students discover the uses of geometry and measurement in the world of architecture as they are introduced to a project in which they design a clubhouse.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Arts,Language Arts,Mathematics
Title: Describing Designs Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students create designs and describe them to classmates, using fractional and geometric terms. The lesson provides a context for using the vocabulary terms horizontal, vertical, square, rectangle, triangle, diagonal, one-half, and one-fourth. Several pieces of literature appropriate for use with this lesson are suggested.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Building with Triangles Add Bookmark
Description: This unit of four lessons, from Illuminations, focuses on triangles and their properties. Each investigation begins with an open-ended question that challenges students to become actively involved in mathematical experiments, ideas, discussions, manipulative materials, tools, and techniques.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5,6,7,8

Subject: Mathematics
Title: IGD: Area of a Rectangle Add Bookmark
Description: This student interactive, from Illuminations, allows students to see interactively how to find the area of a rectangle by manipulating the length of two opposite sides of a rectangle. They discover that as the measurement of the base changes, the area of the rectangle remains base times height.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5,6,7,8

Subject: Language Arts,Mathematics
Title: Mathematics and Children's Literature Add Bookmark
Description: In this five-lesson unit, from Illuminations, students participate in activities in which they focus on connections between mathematics and children s literature. Five pieces of literature are applied to teaching a wide range of topics in the mathematics curriculum, from sorting and classifying to the meaning of averages.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: K,PreK,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Isometric Drawing Tool Add Bookmark
Description: Create dynamic drawings on isometric dot paper with this interactive tool. Draw 2-D and 3-D figures using edges, faces, or cubes that you can shift, rotate, color, or decompose.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Geography,Mathematics,Science
Title: Penguins: Built to Swim Add Bookmark
Description: Activity. Students conduct a series of experiments to test how the physical characteristics of penguins help them to swim and dive.
Thinkfinity Partner: National Geographic Education
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Language Arts,Mathematics
Title: Shapes Art Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students participate in activities in which they focus on connections between mathematics and children s literature. They listen to the poem Shapes from Shel Silverstein s A Light in the Attic and then recognize, draw, and describe geometric figures.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: K,PreK,1,2,3,4,5

Subject: Arts,Mathematics
Title: Who Was Wassily Kandinsky? Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students explore the geometric figures Wassily Kandinsky used in his art. Students participate in a scavenger hunt to become familiar with Kandinsky s works and the geometric figures used in his paintings.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Patterns That Grow: Looking Back and Moving Forward Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students use logical thinking to create, identify, extend, and translate patterns. They make patterns with numbers and shapes and then explore patterns in a variety of mathematical contexts. The lesson includes a link to an interactive online shape tool.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Concentration Add Bookmark
Description: This student interactive from Illuminations allows students to play the classic game of Concentration by themselves or against a friend. The interactive can be used to review numbers, shapes, multiplication facts, fractions, decimals, and percents.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: K,PreK,1,2,3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Fractal Tool Add Bookmark
Description: This student interactive, from Illuminations, illustrates iteration graphically. Students can view preset iterations of various shapes and/or choose to create their own iterations.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Number and Operations Web Links Add Bookmark
Description: This collection of Web links, reviewed and presented by Illuminations, offers teachers and students information about and practice in concepts related to arithmetic. Users can read the Illuminations Editorial Board's review of each Web site, or choose to link directly to the sites.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: K,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Communicating about Mathematics Using Games: Playing Fraction Tracks Add Bookmark
Description: Mathematical games can foster mathematical communication as students explain and justify their moves to one another. In addition, games can motivate students and engage them in thinking about and applying concepts and skills. This e-example from Illuminations contains an interactive version of a game that can be used in the grades 3-5 classroom to support students' learning about fractions. e-Math Investigations are selected e-examples from the electronic version of the Principles and Standards of School Mathematics (PSSM). The e-examples are part of the electronic version of the PSSM document. Given their interactive nature and focused discussion tied to the PSSM document, the e-examples are natural companions to the i-Math investigations.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Arts,Mathematics
Title: Constructing a Three-Dimensional Model Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students build a three dimensional model of a clubhouse from two dimensional blueprints designed in an earlier lesson. In addition, they solve problems related to constructing and decorating their clubhouse.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Mathematics
Title: Shapes on the Way Home Add Bookmark
Description: This reproducible chart, from an Illuminations lesson, prompts students to search for and list shapes they find as they walk home from school. They record each shape's name, where it was found and whether it is a plane or solid figure.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5

Subject: Arts,Mathematics
Title: Working with Shapes Add Bookmark
Description: In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students review different geometric terms. They explore these and other geometric concepts by modeling on the geoboard.
Thinkfinity Partner: Illuminations
Grade Span: 3,4,5