6thgrademath

What the Shape???? A Visual Guide to Geometry

If you need help finding geometry terms, you can use this visual dictionary.  The defintions and illustrations were created by kids like you!!!!

Testing out Tesselations

For this week's online exploration, please visit this Java applet that lets you build tesselations.  I'd like you to find out the following information please.  Include a comment with your answers for extra credit.

Tiling with Polygons---try out all the shapes that are available on the website.

1. Form a regular tessellation using squares.
2. Form a regular tessellation using hexagons.
3. Form a regular tessellation using octagons.
4. Explain why some shapes form regular tessellations while others do not.

Challenging yourself with triangles

This is a bit challenging but I think you'll enjoy using it.  You'll need to open two windows in your browser.  The first window is the worksheet.  You can just do a File Save and then fill it out.  If you are able you can email it to me once you've finished.  Otherwise just bring it into me during the week.

The other page is where you'll use something called a Java Applet to experiment with the four kinds of triangles.  It may take a moment to load up in your browser window.  There are 3 pages to use...your worksheet will tell you what to do with each one of the Applet pages.  Basically you'll explore the properties of triangles...sort of how we did when we tore the corners off of the triangles you cut out in math class.  When you're ready to open the experimental page up, just click here.

Please leave a comment for me to tell me what you thought about using these websites.  Thanks.

Pentaminos and Geometry

This time you'll be working with pentaminos at a place called the Virtual Manipulatives Library.  You already know that perimeter is the distance around a shape.

To complete this activity:

1. Are the perimeters of each of the 12 pentominoes the same?
2. Make a combination of two pentomino pieces with a perimeter of 15, 19. When you combine pentomino pieces, sides must connect.
3. Can you make a combination of two pentomino pieces with a perimeter of more than 19?
4. Using any two pentomino pieces, what combination has the smallest perimeter?
5. What combination has the largest perimeter?

Just copy and paste these questions along with your answers in the comment section of this entry.

I will give you 6 points for completing these problems (which is equivalent to 2 nights of homework credit).  I also think this will be a fun way to work on making your geometry visual skills stronger.  Have fun.