Type of Class:
          High School Geometry Class

Related VA SOL:  G.2

Time Frame:
          90 minute block class

 Objectives:

  • Students will understand translations and their properties.

  • Students will understand rotations and their properties.

  • Students will be able to identify a transformation (reflection, translation or rotation) given the pre-image and image.

  • Students will be able to perform geometric transformations using Geometer’s Sketchpadâ.

Materials:

Procedure:

  1. Students will be investigating translations and rotations as they did with reflections.  Begin by reviewing reflections and their properties.  Then give each student, or pair, the Investigating Translations worksheet.  They are to complete and hand in the worksheet when they are finished. [Sketchpad File]

  2. Once students hand in their worksheet, give them the Investigating Rotations worksheet to begin as everyone else finishes.  Once the class is finished have a discussion about translations and their properties.  Go over the important questions on the worksheet to make sure that all students have a conceptual understanding of translations. [Sketchpad File]

  3. Have students complete the Investigating Rotations worksheet as they did the others (this one is to be handed in as well).  When students finish, have them pair up with a partner (or with another group of 2) to discuss and compare their answers.  Then have students write definitions of all three geometric transformations (reflections, translations, and rotations) including properties and describing how to reflect, translate or rotate an object.  Have each group turn this in at the end of class.

  4. Come back together as a class and have the groups share their responses.  Come up with a class definition for each transformation by combining responses and making the most complete definition possible.

  5. Give students the Bringing It All Together worksheet to complete if time permits at the end of class or for homework.

Assessment:
         Students should be assessed on their completion of the tasks and how well they worked.  They should also be assessed on their group definitions for each transformation.  The Bringing It All Together should be collected and graded (possibly a quiz grade or just a homework grade).