Area and Perimeter Simulations

When implemented properly into lessons, simulations can help support student learning. It can help those students who are struggling with a given concept or who need an extra challenge. In the article, Reality versus Simulation, the authors stated that choosing activities within the student’s zone of proximal development is important. “When this type of task is presented, students will perceive themselves as competent enough to be successful and enticed enough by the learning task to sustain their attention” (Srinivasan, Perez, Palmer, Brooks, Wilson, & Fowler, 2006, p. 139). Tasks that are too challenging or too easy should be avoided. Teachers are able to identify the “just right level” of activity through proper assessments, as well as by using activities that have a range of levels. The Phet game simulations have six levels for the students to choose from that increase in difficulty. Simulations also allow students to work at their own pace and continue practicing concepts that they find difficult. In the study done by Finkelstein, Perkins, Adams, Kohl, and Podolefsky, they found that the limiting nature of simulations can actually help support the learner. This is because it prevents the students from getting distracted and therefore, they are much more likely to be productive (2005).

This week I chose to review T-Gem and apply it to a lesson on area and perimeter. When I was teaching grade three, many of my students struggled with this concept. This is usually the year that these concepts are first introduced. My goal with this lesson is for students to generate the rules of area and perimeter so that they understand it better. Far too often, students memorize formulas, without understanding them first. This doesn’t just apply to perimeter and area. For this lesson, I’ve used Phet, but I think Khan Academy or Illuminations (Scale Factor or Side Length and Area of Similar Figures) could also be used or these could be used after this lesson for students to practice.

Generate:

• Students explore the area and perimeter Phet application, but focus only on perimeter. See if they can figure out how perimeter is calculated.
• Next, students explore area using the Phet application. They are trying to figure out how the area is calculated.
  • Each group will try and come up with “rules” to calculate the area and perimeter of different objects. They will record these on large post-it notes around the room.
• Students generate questions? Some examples could include
  • When do we need to measure perimeter?
  • When do we need to measure area?

Evaluate:

• Students share their thinking with the other groups. Each group will get an opportunity to “test” the rules that each of the groups came up with.
• Students will work on different “problems” to see if the rules work. They can use Phet for this, as well as problems that the teacher puts up for them. These can be solved on large sheets of paper.
  • Examples could include, build a rectangle with a perimeter of 15. What is the area of this shape?
  • Build a rectangle that has an area of 18 units (squared) and a perimeter of 18 units.

Modify:

• As a class, they will discuss these different rules and come up with a rule that works (maybe more than one rule will work). They will show how they solved a problem to “prove” that a given rule works (e.g. diagram on Phet or their problem that they solved on the sheet of paper).
• This will be done for both area and perimeter.

References:

Finkelstein, N.D., Perkins, K.K., Adams, W., Kohl, P., & Podolefsky, N. (2005). When learning about the real world is better done virtually: A study of substituting computer simulations for laboratory equipment. Physics Education Research,1(1), 1-8. Retrieved April 02, 2012, from:http://phet.colorado.edu/web-pages/research.html

PhET Interactive Simulations. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2018, from https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/math

Srinivasan, S., Perez, L. C., Palmer, R., Brooks, D., Wilson, K., & Fowler. D. (2006). Reality versus simulation. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 15(2), 137-141.