Flips, Slides, and Turns

Motion Geometry

In motion geometry the grade 2's and 3's are learning the 

mathematical language to describe flips, slides, and turns. 

 A Flip is also called a Reflection

A Slide is called a Translation

A Turn is called a Rotation 

Our math centers this week were all centers to practice grids, symmetry, 

reflections, translations, and rotations.

Center #1: Sorting pictures of reflections, translations, and rotations.

'Look...that one is a turn...not a slide...'

Center #2: Drawing with miras.. 

Center #3: Showing flips, slides, and turns using blocks. 

'So...this is a quarter turn?' 

'If you go all the way around it's called 1 full rotation.' 

'This is a three quarter turn.' 

'This is a three quarter turn too.' 

The last center was a dice game to practice moving on a grid.  

They used directions like up, down, left, and right to 

describe their movements on the grid.

'Go up two..' 

'...and left 6...'

The conversations the students have with each other always amaze me.  

They learn so much from talking to each other and listening to the 

ideas of their peers.