Illuminations: Going Places

Going Places

Facing Up

In this lesson, students create a map of their face and practice locating different parts using the geometric and measurement concepts they have learned in previous lessons, including location, navigation, spatial relationships, and measurement with nonstandard units. Students reproduce their face and describe it to reinforce their knowledge and skills of measuring and mapping. Using these familiar territories connects mathematics with daily encounters.

Learning Objectives
 
Students will:
  • apply spatial skills (visualization and memory)in creating a map by placing the component parts of their face in relationship to one another
  • use directional/positional words to describe paths of navigation and relationships among various regions

Materials
 
Mirror
Chart Paper
Crayons or markers
Arrows for Mapping Your Face Activity Sheet
Parts of My Face Activity Sheet

Instructional Plan

To prepare students for the activity, draw a picture of your face with your eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, ears, and hairline as you look in a mirror. Include glasses or other distinguishing features. Modeling this activity on the overhead or a large sheet of paper taped to the board enables students to follow the sequence of steps and the procedures.

Discuss what you did to determine where to locate the various components of your face. Use mental and visual measurement strategies related to a concrete example that young children can understand, such as, it is about three finger-widths between my eyes.

Distribute the Arrows for Mapping Your Face Activity Sheet to students. If you reproduce the arrows on sturdy paper, students can cut them out and use them to place the objects on their “face map” using the arrows as a guide.

Group students in pairs. Give each pair of students a mirror. Ask the students to draw a picture of their face that includes all its parts, especially the features that make it unique. Remember to be sensitive to students who might be embarrassed by their distinguishing features, such as freckles. Have students label the parts of their face with the labels provided in the Parts of My Face Activity Sheet.

Finally, pair students and have each partner lead the other on a guided tour of his or her face using directional and positional words. Move about the room listening as students share, teaching and coaching as needed. Then select several students to guide the class around the map of their face.

Questions for Students
 

How did you decide where to place your eyes? Ears? Nose? Mouth? Teeth?

What tools did you use to help you decide about the placement of the parts of your face?

Describe for me how to travel from your neck to your right ear using words to describe the direction you travel and/or words to describe the position of parts of your face as related to other parts.

Can you tell your neighbor how to travel from your hair to your chin?

Tell how you would give directions to someone who wants to travel from your left ear to your right ear.

What is the most interesting path you could travel on the face? Why is it the most interesting?

Assessment Options
 
  1. You may choose to use the Class Notes recording sheet to document student progress in this unit.

Teacher Reflection
 
  • Are all students gaining confidence in measuring length? Which are ready for new challenges? Which need more practice?
  • Which students demonstrated an understanding of spatial relationships by placing the parts of their face in reasonable proximity to each other? Which did not? What learning experiences do they need next?
  • What other objects could students map to give them practice with the key mathematical knowledge and skills of this lesson?
  • How could I integrate the knowledge and skills learned in this lesson in other subjects I teach in our class?

NCTM Standards and Expectations
 
Geometry Pre-K-2
  1. Recognize, name, build, draw, compare, and sort two- and three-dimensional shapes .
  2. Describe, name, and interpret direction and distance in navigating space and apply ideas about direction and distance.
  3. Describe, name, and interpret relative positions in space and apply ideas about relative position.
  4. Find and name locations with simple relationships such as "near to" and in coordinate systems such as maps.

References
 
  • Fanelli, Sara. My Map Book. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 1995.
This lesson prepared by Carol Midgett.
  
1 period   

NCTM Resources

Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Thinkfinity Verizon Foundation
More and Better Mathematics for All Students
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