Unit Plan Overview

Unit:
Leuschner

Geometry & Measurement

Teacher: Meghan
Stage 1- Desired Results

Connections to Context:

Since my students are a part of the

Chinese immersion program, they do not
receive math in English. They are
missing vital vocabulary, specifically in
Geometry. Their lack of knowledge in
geometry is affecting their ability to
follow directions in class, art, and on
standardized tests. I have been asked to
lay a foundation in English, so that when
they learn about it in Chinese, they will
be able to have a deeper understanding
and able to use the English vocabulary to
match with what they are learning.
Even though they normally use
curriculum in Chinese, this unit will use
enVisionMath, which is the curriculum
the rest of the school outside of the
Chinese immersion program uses.
The school has a great playground, is
connected to a nature preserve, and is
surrounded by suburbs. Since they have
those resources, and the crime rate is
very low, I will be able to take them
outside to look for shapes in the real
world around them. Geometry is
everywhere and they will be able to use
three different spaces to see that
connection, because of their context.

Established Goals

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to

Identify shapes, lines, and angles in English.

Explore relationships of shapes through their properties.

Articulate in English the importance of geometry in our lives today.

Use shapes to make aesthetically pleasing pieces of art.

(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)

UNDERSTANDINGS
Students will understand that

There are many regular shapes

that make up our world and play an
important part to our lives.

Shapes each have a set of

properties that define them.

Shapes relate to one another

based on their definitions.

We can use our knowledge of

shapes to hurt or benefit others.

(What specifically do you want students to

understand?
What inferences should they make?)

Meaning
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will keep considering

What other patterns/shapes do you

see in our world?

How do shapes relate to one another

and us?

How can we use this knowledge to

benefit others?

How does our knowledge about

shapes change the way we view the world?

Why do we learn about math?

How do we know this is a circle?

How have shapes been misused?

How do we use shapes to

communicate?

(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry,

meaning- making and transfer?)

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions

Cognitive Objectives
Physical Development
Socio-emotional Objectives

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

(1):
3.G.1 Understand 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).
Recognize rhombuses, rectangles,
and squares as examples of
quadrilaterals, and draw examples of
quadrilaterals that do not belong to
any of these subcategories.
(2):
Also the cross curricular aspect is
learning the English vocabulary and
applying it through holding
conversations as well as following
directions.

Identify shapes in
nature, architecture, and on
paper.

Use geoboards to
create shapes and then to
classify them.

Classify shapes,
lines, and angles according to
the textbook definitions.

Use vocabulary terms

to identify lines on visual problem.

Apply concepts to self

work work sheets or pages which
is done individually (on lessons
page)..

Identify and classify

angles in relation to right angles.

Use knowledge of
angles and lines to classify triangles.

Explore geometric
concepts on Study Jams.

Distinguish what a
polygon is through geoboards.

List properties of
shapes.

Based on
properties, explain
relationships between shapes

Expand geometric
vocabulary through word wall
and handwriting

Explain
relationships between
quadrilaterals by creating
tree-like diagrams to
understand the relationship
between quadrilaterals.

Demonstrate how
to use a rubric.

Design a

Objectives

Create shapes
when given properties on a
geoboard

Use ruler to construct

the visual problem.

Move with motions to

the geometry songs in study jams.

Sketch accurate
vocabulary words for word wall.

Sketch a
thanksgiving card using
shapes

Use a computer
to create final copy of card
cover.

Create tree-like
diagrams to understand the
relationship between
quadrilaterals.

Use a camera to
record identified shapes in
our world.

Revise and write letter

in cursive or choice of typing on
computer.

Practice
handwriting when reviewing
vocabulary and when writing
letter.

Discuss why geometry

is important.
Appreciate geometry
songs from study jams..

Discuss how we
can use our knowledge of
shapes to benefit others
instead of harming.

Collaborate with
partner to work through
study jams and group work.

Self evaluate learning

on top of self-work sheet. (They will
be assessing their confidence
levels before and after receiving
their paper with the correction
on it)

Participate to fulfill
group treasure hunt.

Use rubric to selfasses.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

thanksgiving/holiday card for

the troops using geometry
shapes for cover and writing.
(What facts and basic concepts
should students know and be
able to recall?)

Evaluative Criteria
The questions on the test must be
appropriately answered:
The names must be in English and
correct. The shapes drawn must be
complete with their properties. The
relationships between shapes must show
knowledge of a shape falling into more
than one category.

Stage 2- Evidence
Students will show their learning by (summative assessment)
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Use geometry to design Thanksgiving card for an elderly home. [Sentinel Pointe
Retirement Home: (616) 957-9767] or through a thanksgiving card for our troops. (individually)
Completed word wall with corresponding definitions, sketches, and pictures taken from
treasure hunt. (class as a whole)

(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex
performance?)

For geometry/thanksgiving card rubric

last page
(Regardless of the format of the
assessment, what qualities are most
important?)

OTHER EVIDENCE:
Unit final test (see final assessment page on website) (taken individually)
(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

They must show an improvement of

geometric vocabulary and knowledge of
the shapes attributes and relationships.
They must recognize the vast ways
geometry connects to our lives and the
ability to use geometry to benefit those
around them.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Stage 3- Learning Plan

PRE-TEST: (below are the same questions but not the exact format)

RESULTS:
10 of the students got 3 or less of the 24
vocabulary words correct. 9 of the students got 46 of the 24 vocabulary words correct. One
student got 11 words of the 24 vocabulary words
correct. 0% of the students answered the
relationship questions for shapes. 0% of the
students gave a real life example of an octagon.
I have a lot to do laying down vocabulary for
these students. I need to give them lots of
support and time to use the vocabulary.

NAME:__________________________________

10/23/15

Draw a picture of the vocabulary that you know. SKIP ANY THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW.

Line:

Point on a line:

Line segment:

Diagonal: Equilateral triangle: Pentagon:

Intersecting lines:

Hexagon: Octagon:

Parallel lines:

Isosceles Triangle:

Ray:

Angle:

Vertex (of an angle):

Scalene triangle: Right triangle: Acute angle: Obtuse

angle: Trapezoid: Parallelogram: Rectangle: Rhombus: Square:

1) A square is a shape, but also a type of quadrilateral, and a ______________, and a ________________, and a ______________.
2) What is a life example of an octagon?
3) Draw a quadrilateral that was not mentioned in the above pages:
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

NOTE: If you are done early:

Draw a picture of your dream home:

(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)
(Toward which goal does
Learning Events
each learning event build?)
Acquisition

Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their

participation in these learning events

Meaning

Progress Monitoring
(How will you monitor
students progress toward
acquisition, meaning, and transfer
during lesson events?) (Formative
Assessment)

--Ask: What is geometry? (study of

shapes)

Transfer

Lesson 1: (12th)
1)Discussion on why geometry is important in our lives today.
2) Posing problem with ELMO camera (ruler and pencil problem)

--I will correct their home/self-work & then

rate 1-4 understanding of topic

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

3) Line song
4) Creating word wall
6) Self work
Lesson 2: (13th)
2) Discuss of V & L are the same and different
3) Use yarn to form angles under ELMO camera and as a class define them
using definitions on page. Pose question about adding a line segment to
make a triangle. How would be classify them by their angles?
4) Add angle definitions to word wall
5) Triangle song
6) Work on study jams with partner
7) Play triangle song
Lesson 3: (18th)
1)Work on self work triangles page for warm up + play triangle song
2) Use geoboards to classify what is or isnt a polygon
3) Add polygons to word wall
4) Outdoor shape treasure hunt
5) Self-work

Lesson 4: (19th)
1)Finish self-work from lesson 3.
2) Geoboards for discovering different quadrilaterals
3) Word wall: pre-made definitions (just adding drawn pictures)
4) family tree relationship diagrams
5) Study Jams
6) Self-Work
7) play quadrilateral song
Lesson 5: (20th)
1)Finish self-work, Reinforce cursive handwriting through cursive sheets on
shape names + review questions
2) Play quadrilateral song
3) Discussion on how we use geometry for good & bad (why it is important)
4) Sketch thanksgiving card for nursing home using shapes (10 gram pieces
may help visualize)
5) Re-create them on computer

--Ask what the difference is between the

shape of a V and L?
--Ask if they are tracking (throughout the
group work).
--They will hand in their self-work. I will
correct them and see which kids I need to
work with.
--Ask what a polygon is at the beginning of
class to open.
--Pictures and sketches accurately depict
polygons given.
--Ask: What is a quadrilateral? How many
sides does a quadrilateral polygon have?
They can answer questions of relationships
between quadrilaterals. Can a square have
more than one name? How many names
does it have? Can it also be called a
rectangle? Why? Can all rectangles be
called a square? Why?
--Ask if anything has changed in seeing how
geometry is important over the past few lessons.

d
(How will students
monitor their own progress
toward acquisition, meaning,
and transfer?)(Assessment as
learning)(rubric?)

1) Checking
understanding of group work
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

6) Write a note on the thanksgiving card & sign first name

Review days: (23rd) (activities squeezed into free parts of the day):
1) Finish shape card if not done.
2) Play all songs again: studyjams.com
3) Guess who polygon game!
4) Read fiction book with shapes and have them identify them
(any Dr. Seuss book).
5) Review sheet.
6) Handwriting/Vocab practice: Write out words in cursive and
tell a partner the definition and an example outside.

Because my pre-assessment showed such a lack in geometric vocabulary, I

will be creating a word wall. The students may use this word wall in all their
work, but it will not be there for the test. They will be interacting with it
when writing cursive in the morning or on review days, when they add new
words, when they need a reminder of a definition or how to spell a word, or
when they add pictures of the shapes they find outside on our shape
treasure hunt.
I am also incorporating a lot of hands on activities and group work. Hands on
also helps break down a language barrier, but it also engages many of my
students who struggle with attention. There still will be time for self-work
where they will get to asses what they they learned and where I can see who
needs more help. During this time, I will make sure a weighted sock is
nearby for my student with sensory difficulties and a PVC pipe phone for my
student with processing difficulties.

by asking partner.
2) Self-assessment of
understanding on self-work.
They will be assessing their
confidence levels before and
after receiving their paper with
the correction on it.

(What are potential

rough spots and student
misunderstandings?)

1)Seeing relationships when they

are still struggling with
vocabulary.

(How will students get

the feedback they need?)

1) They will receive verbal

feedback when I am helping them
with their work.
2) They will receive verbal and
written feedback from study jams.
3) They will also receive corrected
self/homework and the test will be
graded.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum