Grade 7 - Shape and Space (Transformations)

The sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will create and analyse patterns and designs using congruence, symmetry, translation, rotation, and reflection.

It is expected that students will:

create, analyse, and describe designs using rotations (turns), reflections (flips), and translations (slides)
use informal concepts of congruence to describe images after rotations (turns), reflections (flips), and translations (slides)
draw designs using ordered pairs in all four quadrants of the coordinate grid, together with slide and flip images
connect reflections with lines and planes of symmetry

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Shape and Space (Transformations) in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Through working with transformations, students learn the concepts of congruence and similarity. Observing and learning to draw and construct two- and three-dimensional figures in various positions also helps them develop spatial sense. Computer software can allow students to construct shapes on a screen and then view them from a new perspective. The use of other manipulatives, such as Mira boards or geoboards, can also help with the visualization process.

Have students create designs on isometric dot paper that illustrate the three transformations, and include written descriptions of the transformations used to create the designs.
Have students work in pairs on a computer with drawing software. Have the first student draw a figure. Have the second student then use the software tools to perform transformations on the image, such as flip, rotate, or cut and paste to another space. Then have students reverse roles. Finally, ask students to identify a line of symmetry with their image or create one if one does not exist.
Have students study modern artists or M.C. Escher and create their own designs using similar techniques.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

As students engage in experiences that involve transformations, they make predictions about what may happen given a particular action. They become more able to explain their results and can begin to formulate a number of different conjectures related to these constructions. Focus assessment on students' ability to create transformations to communicate the process.

Question

Prompt a discussion of the transformations that students used by asking questions such as:
- Tell me about your design.
- What part of your design repeats?
- Who used slides?
- If you used a slide instead of a flip, what would your design look like?

Collect

Review students' designs and written explanations for evidence that they understand and are systematic in the way they apply transformations. Note the extent to which their language is precise and their explanations efficient.
At the completion of the unit, have students evaluate their collections of transformation drawings using preset criteria, such as:
- were they able to identify transformations in art
- whether all three types of transformations have been included in their work