One of the best ways to learn
Geometry – use the geoboard. With children, it is best that the real geoboard
and elastic bands are used rather than having dots given on a piece of paper.
A geoboard is a mathematical
manipulative used to explore basic concepts in plane geometry such, as
perimeter, area, and the characteristics of triangles and other polygons. It
consist of a physical board with a certain number of nails half driven in ,
around which are wrapped elastic bands.
Geoboard were invented and popularized
in the 1950s by an Egyptian mathematician,
Caleb Gattegno (1911-1988).
During our lesson, we were given a paper with
dotted lines and were asked to draw any polygons which only connected to 4
dots. Of coz, the first thing we all drew was a square. When we explored
around, we realized that the possibilities were endless. We could draw on and
on. Then, we were asked to find the area of the shapes. We found out that the
shapes that has no dots in the middle are of 1 unit, the shapes that has 1 dots
in middle are of 2 unit, shapes with 2 dots in the middle are of 3 unit and so
on. We began to see a pattern and it was decided that:-
Area = x + 1
Let x = number
of dots inside
We came out with an equation!!! Yeah we felt like mathematicians.
Why didn’t the math teachers teach this way back then? It would make learning
math so much easier! And I wouldn’t have flunked on math!
Click on the link below to try on the virtual
geoboard!
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