Collaboration example

Activity: Right Angles

Target audience

7-10 year olds

Learning objectives

The student will:

• Identify right angles by viewing examples and non-examples. (Read)
• Define a right angle. (Write)
• Capture photographs of right angles on the playground, at home, or in the community. (Capture)
• Draw at least three examples of right angles found in everyday objects. (Draw)

Lesson steps

1. Both teachers will present opportunities for the students to explore photographs representing examples and non-examples of right angles.
2. Students will collaborate with local classmates to create a definition of right angles. They will share this definition with the partner class.
3. Once both groups agree on the definition, the children will work with local partners to capture photographs of right angles in the classroom, schoolyard, and/or in the community. All of these photographs will be collected and posted to the Journal by both groups to create a “Right Angle Collage”.
4. Students will individually draw examples of right angles. These drawings will become part of the collage.
5. Depending upon language barriers, the students will further collaborate on how to use this content to create a presentation (PowerPoint, PodCast) to teach others about right angles.

(Describe how this collaborative lesson fits within the Design Guidelines)

Constructionism

Students explore examples and non-examples of right angles to construct their own unique definition of “right angle”.

Collaboration

Students share definitions, photographs, and drawings to build a teaching tool for other students to explore.

Iteration

Students communicate within local classrooms and between partner schools until an acceptable definition of “right angle” is agreed upon.

Adaptability

This project could be adapted to schools with limited or no Internet connectivity through traditional postal options or via someone in the community who has Internet access. The lesson is further adaptable to other age groups and levels of complexity by introducing degrees of angles, supplements, compliments, etc.

Mobility

The children will take the laptops outside the classroom and into the community to capture examples of right angles.

Transparency

Where language is a barrier, this project can be completed with just a few words (right angle) and numerous visuals that define right angle without using language.