Geometry Lesson Plan Evaluation

Geometry Lesson Plan Evaluation

Maika Nagata

Chaminade University of Honolulu

EDUC 603 Child Development and Education

Winter 2014
Geometry Lesson Plan Evaluation

As stated in earlier classes this type of geometry lesson plan is relatively new. It is being

used for the second year at several private schools. This curriculum was developed by the

University of Hawaii at Manoa Curriculum Research & Development Group as a way to

effectively teach a working understanding of geometry. It is known as Geometry: A moving

Experience. This Curriculum is designed to support students construction of geometric

knowledge and to continually challenge and extend their ability to attack geometric problems. It

works at easing students into understanding geometric problems and leading them to learn how

to write formal proofs.

Attached is a typical day of notes for a teacher who will be leading a class. The students

end up teaching each other and the teacher acts as a guide and mentor. The students are assigned

ten to twelve problems a night for homework, which they need to attempt. The next day the

students work in small groups discussing the ways that they solved the problems and present the

solutions to two of the problems to the class. While presenting the students show how they

solved and ask the rest of the class how they solved the problem. Students are highly encouraged

to participate and the classroom is seen as a safe space where people are allowed to make

mistakes with an active and healthy dialogue. When the students are done talking the teacher can

ask probing questions or show other methods to help guide the students.

Family and Culture

This class helps to prepare a safe and accepting community where everyones views and

thoughts are accepted. It allows the student to form friendships and a sense of community with

people that they might not necessarily usually associate with. It can also help with the family of

Lee Ann Ring by giving her homework that she can work out with her foster parents if she
Geometry Lesson Plan Evaluation

wanted too. This lesson plan also helps to slowly teach the student how to think about math and

develops their understanding of the material to a higher level. Since there is no set way to solve

the problems a spectrum of cultural perspectives and ways of thinking is encouraged.

This lesson plan does have the disadvantage of being a non traditional way to teach

geometry and the parents might feel that we are wasting the students times. This can be mitigated

by telling the parents at the beginning of the semester about the program and keep them in

contact with quarterly grades. I would accomplish this by sending home an adequate introduction

letter. We can also show the parents the students test scores in a standard geometry test and

how the majority of the students would understand the concepts better.

Physical Development

At this point in time around 15 years in age, Lee Ann Ring would have reached her full

physical development. This class supports her physical development by allowing her to eat and

drink when needed. Also, because the students only have to attempt the problem and the way the

students are taught the problems there should not be a lack of sleep caused from this class. This

would allow a student to have the best physical ability that they can have. Also, since the student

is a teacher in this course they are able to engage themselves during class time and are not

limited to being lectured by the teacher. This type of geometry requires a lot of hands on

activities with students drawing lines and angles themselves. This would allow the student to use

various types of learning to understand the problem and helps to keep the students mind engaged.

Cognitive Development
Geometry Lesson Plan Evaluation

This course and lesson plan builds on itself allowing students to actively make

connections to core problems. Also, since the type of problems is often repeated within the ten

days that the students are learning it they are able to make a lot more connections and build the

schema in their brains. This course allows the student to experiment with physical objects by

having them draw lines on patty paper and actually physically moving it when they are

translating a line in order to grasp the understanding of the problems (p. 211). The teacher and

the other students are also able to probe the presenting students reasoning in order for the whole

class to gain a better understanding of the material (p. 211). Similarly this lesson plan follows

Vygotskys theory by providing a lot of advanced helpers for the students with the other students

and the teacher. The problems that the students solve are built up gradually over time and are

constantly challenging the students thus promoting maximum cognitive growth (p. 219). What is

nice about this sort of class is that theoretically each student is able to be an advanced helper at

different times. One student might not understand how to do one problem but is an expert on

solving another. This allows students to build up their self-esteem and grow confident in their

geometric ability. Also the teacher is always present to provide additional scaffolding if the

students ever need it. Since the types of problems are repeated throughout the homework

assigned the students are more likely to place the material in long-term memory. This also means

that the students are able to relate new information to their existing knowledge.

I cannot seem to find ways that would improve this type of teaching for Lee Ann Ring.

Since she is a visual learner this type of learning style will only help her instead of the traditional

lecturing of geometry. As an INFP she might not be open to talking much in class in the

beginning but I think that as she gets more comfortable with her group mates she would open up.

Also, she would act as a great mediator for her group.

Geometry Lesson Plan Evaluation

Social Development

This class and lesson plans helps a lot with the social development of Lee Ann Ring.

Since the class is open and the students are encouraged to talk to one another they are able to see

each student as a unique individual(s) rather than as member(s) of specific groups (p. 570).

The class groupings help the students to learn from each other and associate with people that

they might not usually associate with. Since the students are interacting a lot more then a normal

classroom a lot of friendships can be created by the power of shared routines (p.574). As the

teacher I would have to make sure that the students are not being bullied and doing all the work

for their group. For Lee Ann Ring this class would be a good chance for her to interact with the

rest of her classmates. She would be given a safe space to learn about geometry and the social

interactions of the classmates.

Emotional Development

This course helps to eliminate a lot of stress that students would usually have when

associated with math. Since the course and the lesson plan slowly builds up over a course of

several days the students have time to fully grasp the material and are a lot less stressful about it.

There would be plenty of opportunities for students to come in for extra help if they missed

school or did not get the material after class. Since the students are working in groups they are

less likely to feel the pressure of making a mistake when they present and the atmosphere in the

classroom would help them to be accepting of one another. Lee Ann Ring who is at grade level

with her math would be able to help her other students to understand the problems. This would

give her a sense of accomplishment as well as a better understanding of the material. As the
Geometry Lesson Plan Evaluation

teacher I would make sure to pair the groups up well depending of the childrens temperaments

(p. 439). This would allow Lee Ann to be grouped with someone a little more outgoing and

maybe even with someone who is a little less knowledgeable in the class. This type of teaching

also encourages students to think outside of the box and new strategies for learning (p. 439)

the material.

In general this lesson plan takes place when a lot of the development of the student

already happens. The student, Lee Ann Ring, would already be at or nearing the end of her

physical development and continuing her development cognitively, socially, and emotionally.

This course and lesson plan would help to achieve her goals of learning math by making it fun

and engaging. Also, it would help her to come out of her shell a little bit more to people other

then her immediate friend group. As the teacher I just have to make sure that the class has a

warm and accepting atmosphere for all of the students and that the students become comfortable

with participating with the whole class. There are not many places that can be shifted to make

this course more significant to Lee Ann Ring because of the amount of work and thought that

went into creating this course by curriculum developers at the University of Hawaii.

Reference

McDevitt, T., & Ormrod, J. (2016). Language Development. In Child

development and education (6th ed., pp. 313-354). Upper Saddle
River, N.J.: Pearson.