There are more interactive mini-movies for
your SmartBoard lessons and student activities on Alphabet Geometry!
Click on the home button
above for more resources to help you teach geometry. For even
more teaching resources, click on misterteacher.com.
The word
transform means "to change." In geometry, a transformation
changes the position of a shape on a coordinate plane. What that really
means is that a shape is moving from one place to another. There are
three basic transformations:
Flip (Reflection)
Slide (Translation)
Turn (Rotation)
Being able to visualize
the movement of a shape is very important. The Flash mini-movies below
show a letter, or a polygon (after all, block letters are really just
polygons), in their original positions before being transformed. By
clicking the play button, we are able to watch the path the letter takes
while being transformed and see their ending positions after the slide,
flip, or turn has taken place.
A
FLIP takes place when a shape is flipped across a line and faces the
opposite direction. Because the shape ends up facing the opposite
direction, it appears to be reflected, as in a mirror. Hence the name
REFLECTION.
Click
on the play button to the right to watch the letter N flip, or reflect.
Click on the play button to watch it again.
A
FLIP can also take place across a line in an up and down direction.
In fact, a flip can take place in any direction. All you need to remember
is the shape ends up facing the opposite direction and it appears
to be reflected, as in a mirror. Hence the name REFLECTION.
Click
on the play button to the right to watch the letter T flip, or reflect.
Click on the rewind button to watch it again.
A
SLIDE takes place when a shape moves in one direction from one place
to another. When you watch the shape move, it appears to be sliding.
Often you will see an arrow underneath the shape to show what direction
it is moving in.
Click
on the play button to the right to watch the letter H slide, or translate.
Click on the rewind button to watch it again.
Think
About It
Look at the two H's above. Imagine you had not seen
the slide take place and I told you that this was an example of
a flip (reflection). Would this be true or false? (Click one of
the buttons below)
A
letter can also SLIDE at an angle away from its original position.
When you watch the W move, it appears to be sliding down and to the
right. Notice it still looks exactly the same, just in a different
position.
Click
on the play button to the right to watch the letter W slide, or translate.
Click on the rewind button to watch it again.
Think About
It
Just like the H above, the W would look exactly
the same if flipped, or reflected across a vertical line. So imagine
you had not seen the slide take place and I told you that this was
an example of a flip (reflection). Would this be true or false?
(Click one of the buttons below)
A
letter can also turn on a point away from its original position. When
you watch the T move, it turns, or rotates in place so that it now
looks like it is laying on its side. It almost looks like a clock
hand turning around the face of a clock.
Click
on the play button to the right to watch the letter T turn, or rotate.
Click on the rewind button to watch it again.
Now
watch the letter A turn. When you watch the A move you'll notice that
it moves from its original position, but still turns to its side.
It also looks like a clock hand turning around the face of a clock.
Click
on the play button to the right to watch the letter A turn, or rotate.
Click on the rewind button to watch it again.
Now
that you have seen the three types of transformations that shapes
can undergo, it is time to test your knowledge. Click on the link
below to take a quiz on transformations.
