Subject: Math, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)

Lesson Length: 45 mins - 1 hour

Topic: Math, Geometry, Transformations, Rotations, Reflections, Translations

Grade Level: 10, 11, 12, 9

Standards / Framework:

Brief Description: Students will create a comic that provides definitions of rotations, reflections, and translations in terms of circles.

Know Before You Start: Students should know the types of rigid transformations (rotations, reflections, translations).

Hook:

  • Ask students
    • “What are rotation, reflection, and translation?”
    • “What makes these rigid transformations?” (The size and shape of objects are preserved).
    • “How are these transformations used in art and architecture?”

Activity:

  • Have students discuss the definition of and examples of rigid transformations.
  • Have students create a comic that illustrates each of the rigid transformations: rotation, reflection, and translation.

Closure:

  • Have students share their comics with the class or in small groups.
  • Have students explain the types of transformations to each other.
  • Have students discuss why it’s important to be able to communicate mathematical ideas in visual form.
  • Discuss alternate names for the transformations.
  • Emphasize that transformations appear often in art and architecture and are used to create computer graphics for movies and video games.

Differentiation:

  • Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
  • Allow students to work in pairs or groups as needed.
  • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
  • Students may have varying degrees of visual interest in their representations.