Utilize High Quality Examples to Teach Middle School Geometry

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As the winter snow melts into spring, this is the time when many middle school teachers start their Geometry units. Unfortunately, the Common Core’s geometry progression was weak and many states and textbooks that are based on the common core mimics reflects the same issues. However, there are resources out there to help!

Van Hiele Model of Geometric Thinking

That’s where Ohio’s Instructional Supports to the Model Curriculum can help—even if you aren’t from Ohio. Ohio aligned its Geometry standards and model curriculum to the van Hiele Model of Geometric Thinking. The van Hiele Model of Geometric Thinking describes how students learn geometric concepts. It contains five levels.

Phases of Learning

To help students progress from one level to the next, instruction should be designed strategically using the phases of learning. Students need to cycle (and possibly recycle) through the phases for a given topic to reach the next van Hiele level. To learn more about each of the phases check out the van Hiele Model of Geometric Thinking document.

Ohio’s Instruction Strategies for the Model Curriculum

Graphic showing the word 'Ohio' with mathematics-related materials and a support text for Ohio's Model Curriculum in Mathematics.

Ohio’s Instruction Strategies for the Model Curriculum includes two parts: The Model Curriculum and the Instructional Supports and Strategies.

Model Curriculum: The model curriculum includes a paragraph summarizing the expectations of learning and the clusters place in the learning progression. Then there are bulleted statements describing the essential understandings, mathematical thinking, and instructional focus for the cluster.

Instructional Strategies: The Instructional Strategies are descriptions of effective strategies for engaging students in observation, exploration, and problem solving. There is a wealth of example problems. Additionally, there are descriptions of common misconceptions as well as strategies for avoiding or overcoming them. Plus, there are ideas for adapting instruction to meet the needs of all students threaded throughout the document.

Here is a list of Ohio’s Middle School Instructional Strategies document:

Grade 6

Sixth grade geometry is all about area, surface area, and volume.

Here are some examples from Ohio’s Grade 6 Instructional Strategies:

Other Grade 6 Activities

Here are some blog posts about lessons and activities related to sixth grade standards:

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Grade 7

Seventh grade geometry standards are kind of all over the place. There is a focus on similarity with scale models and similar triangles. Then students construct shapes using different criteria. Classifying angles and solving equations using angles are included. Students also have to slice three-dimensional figures and explore the circumference and area of circle. Seventh grade is the year where Pi Day shines! Finally, they explore complex area problems and surface area and volume of three-dimensional prisms.

Here are some examples form Ohio’s Grade 7 Instructional Strategies:

Note: Ohio’s geometry standards were revised in 2017 and some of their standards no longer align with the common core.

Other Grade 7 Activities

Check out my STEAM Lesson on “Vanishing Points and Similar Figures” found on my K-8 Math Lessons page.

Here are some blog posts about lessons and activities related to seventh grade standards:

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Grade 8

The eighth grade curriculum is full! It includes transformational geometry, the Pythagorean Theorem and three-dimensional solids (pyramids, cones, and spheres).

Here are some examples form Ohio’s Grade 8 Instructional Strategies:

Other Grade 8 Activities

Check out my lessons on “Dilations and Vanishing Points” and “Direct Variation and Dilations” which can be found on my K-8 Math Lessons Page.

Here are some blog posts about lessons and activities related to eighth grade standards:

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Conclusion

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Geometry can be fun for students if you find hands-on activities that make connections to the real-world and past math concepts. However, sometimes it’s hard for teachers to find quality instructional tasks. Ohio’s Model Curriculum with Instructional Supports is a great resource to help teachers! Plus, I have a few fun activities listed on my blog.

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Teaching Middle School Geometry: High Quality ExampleS and Free Printables