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Cracking the Code: Enhancing Mathematical Communication in MYP 5- Reena Narang

Objective of the Learning Engagement:

Communication in mathematics

Details of the Learning Engagement:

The students of MYP 5 were given an alphabet grid (as shown in the picture). Each triangle is equilateral triangle of side 3cm.


Students were required  to make up some coded messages for each other using bearings. We started with an example "CODE". Imagine we wanted to send the message ‘CODE’. We start at the dot in the middle of the drawing. The first letter is C, so we need to give the bearing and distance to the letter C. 

This was scaffolded for the students. after this for Task 2, students thought of a four letter word and wrote the instructions on a sheet of paper.
These sheets were randomly distributed and the students now tried to decode the instructions and tried to form the word. At the end of this activity they answered questions like: was it difficult to code or to decode ? why ? Where did they slip up ? and reflected on their learning.

Task sheet for reference: 

Impact of the engagement on students and reflection as a teacher:

This activity helped the students to reflect on the correct communication and notations in mathematics.

-Reena Narang

Comments

  1. Amazing activity that fosters collaboration and communication. Develops critical thinking and transfer skills also.

    ReplyDelete

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