Re: tessellations and angles

[GP & LA SMETHURST <loisath@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Tamara 
I have taught a similar project to grade 5&6 students for a number of years.
I think you are trying to include too many concepts in one project (as I
did). After a couple of years I ended up asking the students to make a
project that taught younger students about polygons.
As they explored programming simple polygons I helped them to discover that
the turtle always had to turn 360 to make any shape, which they understood
because of the language they used in skateboarding, bike-riding etc.. So to
make a shape with corners simply divide 360 by the number of corners and
repeat the procedure by the number of corners.
If you wanted to teach about the inside angles I guess you could introduce
the idea of complimentary angles.
I didn¹t get to a tessellating project with all students so maybe your
students are more experienced with MWs than mine were.
There are some student samples on
http://www.berwicklodgeps.vic.edu.au/pages/MW_games.html
Hope this helps
Lois

Lois Smethurst
Leading Teacher for ICT
Berwick Lodge Primary School
Victoria, Australia


On 3/3/08 7:15 AM, "Tamara Weinstein" <tamaraw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> 
> I have a question about a project I will be starting shortly with 5th graders
> using MW EX to create a tessellation using simple polygons.  It is a question
> regarding teaching about angles.  When programming a turtle to create a
> triangle (for example) the relevant angle is the amount the turtle has to
turn
> to create the triangle (the outside angle).  However when math is taught,
> usually the focus is on the internal angle.  As well one way to determine
> whether a shape can tessellate is to measure whether the place where the
> tessellated shapes meet equals 360 degrees.  If anyone can help me think this
> through that would be great.  If it is not clear what it is that I am asking,
> please let me know.
> thanks
> tamara
> 
> 
> Tamara Weinstein
> Educational Technology Specialist
> The Children's School
> 404-835-4602
> 
>