Thursday 11 April 2013

Map coordinates

After learning about map scale, the next logical thing to learn is to read map coordinates.  Tiger read the following book for introduction to the topic:


As an introductory exericse, Tiger worked through a page to identify the points on a grid map with numbers on the x-axis and alphabets on the y-axis.  This was very straightforward because Tiger is already familiar with reading maps with such coordinate points.


Next, I introduced Tiger to another way to represent coordinate points -- using numbers in both the x and y axes.  This was slightly confusing because now Tiger had to figure out which axis was represented by the respective numbers.

For this exercise, I had Tiger draw out the X-axis and Y-axis, then he was to list the coordinates of the points that I put on the grid.


This was followed by applying our understanding of coordinates to drawing, first by linking various pre-set coordinates into straight lines and forming a shape on paper.


Next Tiger got to apply what he had learnt so far onto graph papers.  He was to identify various points on the graph paper based on a set of coordinates that I verbally read out to him.


These form the smaller shape on the paper.  Once the original, smaller shape was drawn, I gave him a multiple which he was to use to draw the bigger shape.


Here is another application of scaling up:


The next application was slightly more complicated than the ones before.  Here, Tiger had to:
1) plot the points on the paper;
2) reflect the figure on the y-axis;
3) learn that the equation for a straight line between two given points and which goes through the point (0,0) is y = -x.
4) apply his knowledge of rotational symmetry to plot the points of the final figure which was symmetrical to the original figure on the line y = -x.


Tiger played the following games to conclude his study of the coordinates:
  1. Archery
  2. Lost
  3. Cops and Robbers


The lessons come from the following books:



This post is linked up to:
1) Look What We Did!
2) History and Geography Meme #69
5) Homeschool Mother's Journal: April 12, 2013
6) Hobbies and Handicrafts - April 12
7) Collage Friday - Part Time Unschoolers?
8) Homeschool Review
9) Weekly Wrap-Up: The One with the 2:1 Conference 2013
10) Math Monday Blog Hop #95
11) Hip Homeschool Hop - 4/16/13

18 comments:

  1. We are working on similar topics! Thanks for posting your great ideas.

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  2. I saw your post, Phyllis! What a coincidence! It's wonderful to see different ideas for the same topic. :-)

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  3. What a fantastic maths lesson (as well as geography!). I love all the extension activities you did, particularly the rotational symmetry! Way to go Tiger!!

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  4. Thank you, Claire. The rotational symmetry problem was more interesting than the rest, only because it involved a few more steps than the straightforward ones. The games were his favourite part of the lesson, though. :-)

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  5. I like the way you are teaching math with activities and giving it application. Battleship is a fun coordinate game to play too.

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  6. Great suggestion, Julie! I'll have to look into Battleship. It'll be right up Tiger's street since he loves anything that has to do with battles. :-)

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  7. We love the Sir Cumference books too. And I've just ordered the geometry book from your photo - thanks, looks good! My kids are learning coordinates from Battleships too, and the computer games programming book/software "Scratchy". Thanks for sharing!

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  8. Wow, it seems that I must invest in Battleships now, having had two back-to-back recommendations of the game. I'll also check out "Scratchy". Thanks for the recommendation, Lucinda!

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  9. I went to pin this, and then saw I'd already repinned it when Phyllis did.

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  10. That's funny, Ticia! Phyllis is very quick, isn't she? :-)

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  11. I love your teaching style, Hwee. Thanks for sharing at Homeschool Review.

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  12. Thank you, Savannah. I just pull resources together that make I think will make the lesson more interesting. :-)

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  13. A lovely way to learn (visiting via Hobbies & Handicrafts)

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  14. This sounds like such a fun, hands-on way to learn math!

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  15. We loved this book too -we did a mapping treasure hunt with it...I hadn't thought about making pictures with it -awesome ideas!

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  16. I haven't seen Right Start Mathematics, but am researching it because of all that you have shared.

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  17. Jennifer - RightStart Maths is a Montessori-inspired, manipulative-based maths. It has worked very well for us.

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  18. We did a little of this when I found stuff for free on the internet. Will look into the book you showed on geometry as we have a science book by that company which we love:) We love the sir cumference books I think I have them all

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