ALEX Learning Activity

  

Interactive Quadrilaterals

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

You may save this Learning Activity to your hard drive as an .html file by selecting “File”,then “Save As” from your browser’s pull down menu. The file name extension must be .html.
  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Ginger Boyd
System:Geneva County
School:Samson Middle School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2560
Title:
Interactive Quadrilaterals
Digital Tool/Resource:
Interactive Quadrilaterals
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

In this interactive math activity from Math is Fun, students are able to "play" with quadrilaterals to get a better understanding of the properties associated with each type of quadrilateral. The interactive creates a visual representation of the properties that describe each type of quadrilateral (parallelogram, square, rectangle, rhombus, trapezoid, and kite). Students can change the angles and sides, but the attributes of the selected quadrilateral will always remain prominent allowing students to easily recognize the properties of each quadrilateral.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Mathematics
MA2019 (2019)
Grade: 4
28. Identify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines or the presence or absence of angles of a specified size.

a. Describe right triangles as a category, and identify right triangles.
Unpacked Content
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • Sort two-dimensional figures based on angle sizes or presence of parallel and/or perpendicular lines.

    • Example: Given a group of regular polygons, sort shapes into categories based on angle size as well as presence of parallel lines.
  • Classify and name shapes using more than one characteristic.
  • Identify a right triangle by labeling the right angle.
Teacher Vocabulary:
  • Two-dimensional figure
  • Parallel lines
  • Perpendicular lines
  • Angle
  • Right triangle
Knowledge:
Students know:
  • Two lines are parallel if they never intersect and are an equal distance apart.
  • Two lines are perpendicular if they are at right angles to each other.
  • A right triangle is a triangle that has one right angle.
Skills:
Students are able to:
  • Classify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines.
  • Classify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of angles of a specified size.
  • Identify right triangles.
Understanding:
Students understand that:
  • shapes are categorized based on attributes they possess in common such as angle size, side length, side relationships (parallel and perpendicular).
Diverse Learning Needs:
Essential Skills:
Learning Objectives:
M.4.28.1: Define right angle.
M.4.28.2: Recognize that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals).
M.4.28.3: Recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these subcategories.
M.4.28.4: Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes such as a given number of angles or a given number of equal faces.
M.4.28.5: Identify triangles.

Prior Knowledge Skills:
  • Recall the vocabulary of shapes (labels, sides, faces, vertices, etc.).
  • Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes such as a given number of angles.
  • Build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.
  • Sort shapes into categories.
  • Define side, angle, face, closed, and open.
  • Use vocabulary related to shape attributes.
    Examples: sides, angles, face, closed, open.
  • Trace shapes.
  • Sort triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and cubes.
  • Explore triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and cubes.
Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
M.AAS.4.28 Using vocalization, sign language, augmentative communication or assistive technology, describe the defining attributes of two-dimensional shapes (e.g., number of sides, number of angles).
Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to classify two-dimensional figures based on angle sizes or the presence of parallel and/or perpendicular lines and congruency.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

Provide the students with a link to the website Interactive Quadrilaterals from Math is Fun. The class will read the properties of quadrilaterals aloud together from the website while students add the properties to their Who Am I? Quadrilaterals Classification Sheet.

Then, the teacher will explain the directions on how to use the Interactive Quadrilaterals digital tool and allow students enough time to explore the interactive. Students can choose a quadrilateral (parallelogram, square, triangle, rhombus, trapezoid, kite, or rectangle) and illustrate its properties by clicking on a point to squish, stretch, rotate, twist, etc. the angles, and/or sides.

The interactive tool will accommodate each movement and adjust the quadrilateral to maintain the correct properties. This will create a visual representation of each quadrilateral's properties for students.

Students will then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the quiz questions in the section titled YOOO TOOO. Students should complete all ten questions in this section for their assessment.
Assessment Strategies:

The ten questions in the section titled YOOO TOOO will be used as an assessment tool to check for mastery of the standard.
Advanced Preparation:

Internet-connected devices will be needed to use the digital tool. Math is Fun is a free website. 

The teacher will need to make copies of the Who Am I? Quadrilaterals Classification sheet prior to the lesson (one per student). Link to the teacher's key.
Variation Tips (optional):

This activity can be used as a whole class activity on an interactive whiteboard or as an individual activity.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

ALCOS 2019:

4.28). Identify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines or the presence or absence of angles of a specified size.

a. Describe right triangles as a category, and identify right triangles.
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: congruent, parallel lines, perpendicular lines, quadrilaterals, right angle, two dimensional figure