Unit Lesson Plans Joelle Wight Geometry Unit, 4 Grade
Unit Lesson Plans Joelle Wight Geometry Unit, 4 Grade
Unit Lesson Plans Joelle Wight Geometry Unit, 4 Grade
Joelle Wight
Geometry Unit, 4th Grade
Introduction
The following unit was covered over a two week time period. The objectives which I
outlined were determined by applying the 4th grade quarter four Geometry expectations provided
by the Blue Springs School District.
While creating this unit I paid special attention to the developmental needs of the
students. I worked to provide opportunities for students to have hands on, real world experience
with these geometric principles. I know that these students arent ready for abstract application
so I provided many concrete examples and manipulatives. All of the content I shared will help
form a base for future knowledge the students will be expected to learn. While students wont be
asked to apply geometric formulas on a daily basis, they still interact with geometric principles
every day. I think that this unit is especially meaningful to students because it requires a lot of
critical thinking and problem solving. These skills can be developed throughout this unit and
applied in many areas of student life.
For the pre and post-tests, I asked the students to answer a variety of questions. I outlined
the scope of the unit before creating the test so I knew exactly what I needed to cover. I found the
pre-test very informative as I taught the unit. It provided me with a lot of relevant information
that helped me determine what the students need most. I gave the exact same test, minus three
problems that I decided not to cover in the unit, for the post-test. These assessments were not the
only formative work I looked at from the students. The first day I asked the students to play a
whats in the bag game where they had to list attributes of a shape that no one else could see.
Their responses helped me to know what information they were bringing to the unit. I also asked
students to create a math game manipulative for display in the classroom that focused on using
the perimeter and two side lengths to determine the classification of the triangle and the
measurement of the missing side length. The students also worked together to find the measure
of an unknown angle in a triangle.
My biggest goal when I created the lesson plans was to provide concrete, hands on
experiences for the students that would solidify their understanding of polygons and their
attributes. I provided multiple opportunities for the students to work in social settings because
students at this age need to practice peer interaction and also get a lot of confidence for peer
support and acceptance. Scaffolding was also essential. The students wouldnt have stuck with
the learning process had it not provided scaffolding that gave them added confidence.
Management was largely based off of pre-established expectations. The students know
where to come in and sit for learning and they know behavior expectations when they work in
groups. Students responded very well to group activities and challenging games that encouraged
them to critically apply their new knowledge. Students also really became invested in creative
tasks that showcased their understanding and workmanship. I also worked to provided varied
instructional methods in each lesson so that students would not lose focus and become
disengaged. Knowing the age of the students, I tried to provide them with opportunities to move
around the room.
Triangle
Square
Pentagon
Hexagon
Octagon
Rhombus
Kite
Circle
Right Triangle
Parallelogram
Cone
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Number of sides/
angles:
Name:
Number of sides/
angles:
Obtuse Triangle
Assessment:
The
worksheet will serve
assessment.
independent practice
as a formative
Safety Concerns:
People getting
Says
Lin
e
Line Ray
Segm
ent
Accommodations/Modifications:
I will visit Connor early on during the independent practice to make sure he doesnt get
frustrated before I can offer him assistance.
Reflection/Teacher Notes
This lesson was a challenging one. I dont think I provided the students with enough
context before I taught them the various vocabulary. The students had no idea what was going on
in the lesson and were unable to complete their independent work independently. I didnt have
the opportunity to correct and clarify that day but I was able to do so the following day. In the
future I work to provide the students with more concrete application before throwing the content
at them.
Right
Triangl
e
Acute Obtuse
Triangl Triangl
e
e
-point
-perpendicular lines
-parallel lines
-intersecting lines
-scalene triangle
-isosceles triangle
-equilateral triangle
Modeling (15 mins, 12:50-1:05)
Before charting I will present the students with slides that have certain triangles included
inside a circle and others not. I will have them discuss with those around them to see if they can
figure out why. I will model for the students as I create the chart. This chart will show the
different types of triangles based on side length.
Guided Practice (7 mins, 1:05-1:12)
The students will guess which wall holds the correct answer. I will then show the triangle
and students who guessed correctly will remain in the game.
Modeling (8 mins, 1:12-1:20)
I will model for the students as I create the chart. This addition to the chart will help
students understand that each side length adds up to equal the perimeter and that if we know the
perimeter and two sides we will be able to determine the third side.
Activity Details (20 mins, 1:20-1:40)
The students will work with a partner to create their own triangle with an unknown side.
They will have approximately 10 minutes to create their triangle before trading and trying to
solve another groups triangle.
Check for Understanding (5 mins, 1:40-1:45)
We will regroup and discuss the process.
Independent Practice (5 mins, 1:45-1:50)
The students will complete a math check-in independently.
Closure (5 mins, 1:45-1:50)
The math check-in will also serve as closure.
Assessment:
The students work with partners and their math check-in will serve as formative
assessments.
Safety Concerns:
Students moving around the room
Accommodations/Modifications:
None
Reflection/Teacher Notes
Many students were absent during this lesson and we were nearing the time of the school
carnival. Even so, I think that the lesson went very well. Students had the opportunity to see if
they could figure out how triangle could be classified by their sides and they were mostly able to
do so. I think their discussion and observations before really helped solidify the concept in their
brains. I loved the activity that the students completed. My cooperating teacher and I put the final
touches on it during plan that morning and I think it turned out great. The students created with a
partner a triangle with an unknown side length and they did so in a way that allows others to try
and solve it before looking at the answer. I really think the students liked creating these tools and
I think that the information will stick as a result. Furthermore, they worked so hard on them and
they look so good that they can be displayed and reflect the students throughout the classroom. It
was also a relaxed way of assessing their learning for the day. In the future I would have had
more of the supplies for that project ready before hand. I didnt think certain parts would take so
long or be so hard to explain.
Equilat
eral
Triangl
e
Isoscel Scalene
es
Triangl
Triangl
e
e
Management Plan:
Students will spend a minimal time
at the carpet. Most of the lesson will be spent at their desks working with the geoboards.
Materials/Resources:
-Geoboards
-Mini Office Insert
Detailed Procedure
Introduction (15 mins, 12:45-1:00)
The students will begin by completing a problem solving pattern practice with their
Thinking Teams.
Activity Details (35 mins, 1:00-1:35)
The students will use geoboards to practice creating shapes based on their attributes.
Modeling (5 mins, 1:00-1:05)
I will show the students how to use the geoboards before I pass them out.
Guided Practice (30 mins, 1:05-1:35)
I will distribute the geoboards and ask the students to make for me a six sided shape with
six angles and six vertices. I will draw some of the shapes I see on Easiteach and project them on
the board. I will help students come to the understanding that all of them created a hexagon even
if it looked different from someone elses. I will then tell them this is also true with quadrilaterals
and explain that quadrilaterals have different names based on their attributes. We will then
practice making each type of quadrilateral in the following order:
-Trapazoid (four sides, vertices, and angles; ONLY 1 set of parallel lines, no right angles)
-Parallelogram (four sides, vertices, and angles; 2 sets of parallel lines)
-Rectangle (four sides, vertices, and angles, 2 sets of parallel lines, 4 sets of perpendicular
lines)
- Square (four sides, vertices, and angles; all sides are equal, 2 sets of parallel lines, 4 sets
of perpendicular lines).
-Rhombus (four sides, vertices, and angles; all sides are equal, 2 sets of parallel lines,
opposite angles are equal.)
Check for Understanding (5 mins, 1:35-1:45)
The students will complete an independent geoboard drawing practice.
Independent Practice (5 mins, 1:45-1:50)
The students will complete an independent geoboard drawing practice.
Closure (5 mins, 1:45-1:50)
The students will complete an independent geoboard drawing practice.
Assessment:
The students independent practice will serve as a formative assessment.
Safety Concerns:
Rubber bands
Accommodations/Modifications:
None
Reflection/Teacher Notes
This lesson was a great way for students to be actively engaged in the learning process. In
the future I think I would have them sitting somewhere other than their desks. I also think I
would use the computer camera to show student examples rather than trying to hold them up and
walk around the room with them. The assessment showed that students were able to create
shapes given certain attributes but a lot of them were using the most basic name of quadrilateral
to name the shape. I think I should have emphasized that we want to be as descriptive as possibly
by really narrowing down the possible polygons we could be describing. I also felt like the
lesson was dragging on a bit. I think I would pick up the pace of it in the future.
None
Reflection/Teacher Notes
The days schedule was different and provided its own unique challenges for math. The
students werent focused from the start. I think I should have played geometry Simon says or
something like that before hand to really get them in the mind set. The students seemed to enjoy
the giant Venn diagram and were fairly successful in sorting the shapes correctly. We had to stop
right in the middle of the lesson to go to special class and we only had 15 minutes before recess
when they returned. Even with the craziness and the lack of focus, I still believe students
understand how to use a Venn diagram to classify shapes based on their attributes.
*Fo
*Fo
*2
lin
This day was a very much focused on review and confidence building. The students got
to do a number of activities to help them prepare for the post examination. I think the timing of
everything went really well and the students were able to review and feel confident before they
were assessed. They werent overly successful in redoing Whats in the Bag but the attributes
they used to describe their shapes were much improved. I think this was a very good way and
time to finish the unit.