Three-Dimensional Polygons and the Interactive Whiteboard
Description:
This interactive activity is designed to support sixth grade students in a mathematics lesson that
involves finding the surface area of three dimensional polygons. The technology to support this
activity is an interactive whiteboard and the content is found on Gynzy.com. Gynzy.com is a
website which helps teachers design lessons that use interactive whiteboards in the classroom.
The big idea in this activity is to connect the three-dimensional shapes to the net (the shape when
it is deconstructed).
To begin the activity I will demonstrate using the whiteboard technology on Gynzy.com that
shows students three-dimensional polygons that they can turn and look at from all directions. I
will then press unfold which then shows the net of the polygon. This is where we the students
and I will answer questions about how many sides there are and talk about different ways that we
can calculate the surface area. The activity will place students in small groups so that all
students will have an opportunity to explore three dimensional polygons using the interactive
whiteboard and in multiple media to understand the surface area and that the polygon can be
unfolded to show the polygon as a net. When students are not exploring, the polygons using the
interactive white board they will be at a different station. The different stations are a station that
has acrylic polygons for students to explore how they would draw a net. Another station will
have paper nets to fold and unfold to gain the net to three-dimensional shape concept while
another station will allow students to explore using toothpicks to construct the nets while looking
at pictures of the three-dimensional shapes. Students will rotate to all activities because they all
learn in different ways and are motivated differently.
Reflection:
As I created this activity I took it as an opportunity to learn more about universal design for
learning (UDL). I thought about the two questions that guide planning activities for UDL: What
is my goal? and What are the barriers? My goal is to teach students how to find the surface area
of three-dimensional polygons. My barriers will be vocabulary and student ability to visualizing
the three-dimensional shape unfolding. Vocabulary in the CCSS the standard uses the word net
to describe what the three-dimensional shape is when it is unfolded. I know that I think of a
basketball net or fishing net when I hear that word as opposed to a cube unfolded. I wanted
students to see and experience a net before introducing that vocabulary. Using the interactive
white board students will see the entire shape and describe what they see while the shape is
shown in its three-dimensional form. Then students will be able to see what they have described
in the net form facilitating their ability to visualize.
Supporting Standards
Common Core State Standards Math 6.G.A.4 Represent three dimensional figures using nets
made up of rectangles and triangles and use the nets to find the surface area of these figures.
Apply these techniques in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems.
International Society for Technology in Education
Teachers #5: Teachers continuously improve their professional practice modeling lifelong
learning and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and
demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.
b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in
shared decision making and community building and developing the leadership and
technology skills of others.
Students #1: Empowered Learner: Students leverage technology to take an active role in
choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals informed by learning
sciences.
c. Use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice to
demonstrate their own learning in a variety of ways.
Relevant UDL Principles
1.1 Customizing the display
2.1 Clarify vocabulary
2.5 Illustrate multiple media
3.3 Guide info processing visualization and manipulation
4.2 Optimize access to tools, assistive technology.
5.2 Multiple tools for construction and composition
6.2 Support planning and strategy development
7.2 Optimize relevance, value and authenticity
8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback
9.2 Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies
