GPSPolygons

GPS POLYGONS

Student Target:

Grade 4 Classes

Objectives:

1. Students will identify polygons. 2. Students will work co-cooperatively to locate and identify polygons. 3. Students will effectively use GPS and supplied latitude and longitude. 4. Students will classify identified polygons as regular or non-regular polygons.

Activities:

1. Setup document camera and projector in gym. Pre-plant several items for students to locate through use of GPS with latitude and longitude information. Use document camera and projector to demonstrate use of GPS allowing students to see GPS configurations, settings and options both projected by teacher and on their GPS unit. (Day 1)

2. The teacher will plant clues at numerous locations within the school and outside on athletic fields and playgrounds. The clues would designate a polygon that students are to identify at each pre-determined site. For example next to the stop sign the clue would say octagon. Next to a swing set the clue would say triangle. Next to a fire hydrant the clue would say pentagon. The students will work in groups of four to five students. The students will be given a GPS, a digital camera and a list of latitude and longitude coordinates. After determining each location and locating the appropriate polygon students take a picture of the polygon. (Day 2)

3. Student groups download their pictures to a student computer. Students use Glogster to create an interactive poster using their pictures and identifying both the polygon in the picture and if it is a regular polygon. Students also link each picture to a definition of the polygon. (Day 3 and 4)

Materials (all materials are currently available at Valley Grove School District except the GPS units requested in this grant application)

1. 8 GPS Units 2. 8 digital cameras 3. one teacher computer connected to a document camera and a project 4. GPS unit Quick Reference 5. 8 Student computers with an internet connection 6. lists of latitude and longitude coordinates for students

Strategies:

Among the strategies used are Cooperative Learning, Discuss and Come to a Conclusion, Extend Thinking Through Structured Collaboration, Connect Ideas to Nature, Categorize Materials, and Create a Display Summarizing

Closure:

Students will download pictures to their computer. Students will use Glogster (a web 2.0 tool) to create an interactive poster summarizing their findings.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed according to a rubric assessing their group collaboration, their ability to locate the appropriate polygon targets, and the content of their interactive poster.

Rubric Summary – A. Workload – Work Shared Equally to Workload not Divided B. Use of Equipment – Located All Targeted Locations to Located No Targeted Locations C. Content – Excellent Subject Knowledge to Minimal Subject Knowledge D. Organization – Content Is Well Organized to Content Is Minimal Or Inaccurate E. Requirements – All Requirements Met to More Than One Requirement Not Met

ISTE Standards For: Creativity and Innovation Communication and Collaboration Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Digital Citizenship Technology Operations and Concepts

PA State Standards For: Math - 2.9.4.A. Identify, describe, and define 1-, 2-, and 3-dimensional shapes and their related parts; compare 2-dimensional shapes; compare 3-dimensional shapes.

Geography - 7.1.6.A Describe geographic tools and their uses. 7.1.6.B Describe and locate places and regions.

Science and Technology - 3.7. Technological Devices B. Select appropriate instruments to study materials by developing simple skills to measure, record, cut and fasten. D. Use basic computer software to identify and use simple graphic and presentation graphic materials.