they explain by discussing the number of sides there are
they explain by discussing the number of vertices there are
they explain by saying “it just looks like it”
A recent interesting response I heard from a Grade 3 student was that “rectangles are stretchy squares”.
The following conversation inspired me in many ways:
Me: “Draw a shape with 3 sides and one obtuse angle”
Gr 3: “Do I have to draw a triangle? Like…can I draw a shape with 3 sides?”
*At this point, I was very very tempted to ask him what shape could possibly have 3 sides but it is not a triangle. But I held my tongue*
Me: “Sure, what shape would that be?”
Gr 3: “Like a made-up shape”
Me: “Sure, try and draw one first and then tell me the name you made up for it”
Drawing 3 triangles brought an end to the activity and the student concluded that all three-sided shapes are called triangles, despite his attempt in making up a name for his “new shape”.
For parents or teachers, two lessons come to mind:
Allow creativity. It’s very easy to say “no” and then correct a child by telling them the right answer. It really would’ve been interesting to hear this student come up with spontaneous, silly names for his three-sided shapes, but what’s more interesting is that he hesitated on naming them because he realized that three-sided shapes are triangles. That brings us to the next point.
Allow concept formation. We could easily tell a child “this is called a triangle and here is the definition of a triangle”, but the child’s very own discovery of that is quite remarkable.
Written by Mandy Lam
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