The past week in math class we talked about geometry and spatial sense, discussing everything about two and three dimensional shapes. I considered myself pretty good when it comes to geometry, angles and special sense as I am able to relate sports and math, particularly geometry and angles. I am a sports and physical education major after all. Forgive the "Like Mike" reference but that is how I understood the difference the three types of triangles. For example, the greatest team in basketball history the 1995-1996 Chicago Bull used a "triangle" offence in certain situations. The goal of this offence was to isolate for the great Michael Jordan, moving all players to the outside so he can take it to the basket with limited defenders in the area. Now when you think about the word I just used, "isolate", does it remind you of a triangle? Yes! Isosceles triangle, the triangle with 2 equal angles and two equal sides, and Michael Jordan at the tip running the play. Once its drawn out on the basketball court it is really easy to see.
Like Mike Geometry
Now knowing the basketball offences could be a little difficult for some to understand, but the court itself also has some interesting shapes. Other sports also use some interesting shapes, take a traditional soccer ball for example. Its made of both pentagons and hexagons. Even something like a swimming pool is shaped in a prism. It is quite easy to relate different geometric shapes and different sports. Maybe students I have in my placement learn the same way as me and I will be able to relate to them in the geometry units.
Finally I liked the use of manipulatives in our geometry class. The exercise where we had to create different shapes using smaller or more shapes was great for understanding spatial sense and provides a manipulative for those learners who work better with contact. This activity also addresses the analysis of shapes, helping learners discover similarities and differences in shapes and create different groupings of these shapes.
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