Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: Dilations

Content Area: Geometry
Grade Level(s): 10th Grade
Content Standard Addressed: MGSE9-12.G.SRT.1 Verify experimentally the properties of dilations given by a
center and a scale factor.

Technology Standard Addressed: 7b. Students use collaborative technologies to work with others, including
peers, experts or community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple viewpoints.

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Collaboration Site

URL(s) to support the lesson: https://www.artofproblemsolving.com/

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom:
After an introductory lesson on Dilations, I would assign students homework. This homework would instruct
students to construct their own dilated images either by paper or on the computer. Then, students would sign
onto the website, The Art of Problem Solving, where they would upload their completed images for others to
evaluate and confirm.
Not only are students instructed to upload their work onto the site, but they will also have to comment on at
least one other student’s submission. If the other student’s submission is accurate, then the commenting
student must confirm how they know that the work is accurate. If the other student’s submission is not
accurate, then the commenting student(s) must identify any issues and collaborate with that student to help
him or her correct his or her work.

What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom?
A device with Wi-Fi capabilities like a smartphone, laptop, or tablet.

Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience (note: all of them may not be
addressed in the project, but most should be if you are reaching a high LoTi Level).
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom and often beyond their
school: Students collaborate with one another on a dedicated collaboration site. They either confirm
one another’s work or assist each other to correct issues and make accurate submissions.

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or producing original
products as a result of engaging in a project): Students are given free rein to choose a 2D object of
their own to dilate however they would like. The parameters of center of dilation and scale factor are
theirs to decide.

c. Higher-order thinking: Through their creation, students will showcase that they know how to create a
dilation when a center of dilation and a scale factor are chosen.

d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: Although
students do publish their creations, they are not creations that other students will necessarily use or
care about after the lesson is over. The publishing of creations is merely a stepping stone to get
students to collaborate with each other over technology.

Spring 2018_SJB
 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
☐ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☐ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☒ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

This activity enhances the learning experience for students by allowing them to vary their responses inherent
to this creative assignment which satisfies one of the UDL options for action and expression. Although
students may feel overwhelmed or lost if they are not used to having free rein on an assignment, the
associated collaboration site for this lesson plan is a safety net for students. If students are worried about
mistakes, their classmates are there to assist and either confirm or correct their answers. The sense of
community is supported and is intended to help students feel more welcome in the math environment.

Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies:

The website, The Art of Problem Solving, does not require background checks for users to comment on posts,
so I cannot guarantee student privacy. I would have to restrict the student’s ability to converse with
everybody on the website and only allow them to interact with classmates in their actual Geometry class.
Additionally, I would be open with administration and the parents of the students about this assignment so
that they would be aware of how I am keeping students safe while supporting their learning. Additionally,
since students are creating their own works and I have no need to upload materials, copyright is not an issue.

Reflective Practice:
This activity impacts student learning by allowing students to utilize technology to collaborate and discuss
mathematics. To extend the activity, I could ask students to keep their creations handy for the following
lesson which involves similarity of figures. Since dilated images have similarity, students would be able to use
their own creations on several assignments as opposed to one assignment after which students typically
dispose their work. For that next assignment, I could once again utilize the same website and have students
pick up where their conversations left off and discuss similarity.

Spring 2018_SJB