Activity Based Education
Dear Parents,
For the Std. 3rd & 4th some homework is given under the Activity Based Education Scheme. These exercises are extremely helpful in developing their concentration, instrument handling skills and patience of working.
In addition, it also helps in improving their writing speed and mathematical abilities. Hence, they have to be allotted some of your time, attention and guidance to complete this project.
Here are some examples done by our Teacher-Resource Persons as well as by some students.
Exercise 1 : 10 Random Lines
Purpose:
1. Joining two points using scale
2. Handling of scale
3. Develop larger eye-span
4. Identifying Geometric shapes like triangles, rectangles, pentagons etc.
5. Filling the shapes in different colours, thereby developing colour sense.
Procedure:
1. Join the pairs of points marked on two different borders
2. Some pattern will be generated
3. Fill this up using sketch pens
4. Students should try to fill this up using “pattern filling” method and not “BLOCK”colours filling
Examples :
Exercise 2 : 10 Meaningful Lines
Purpose: Same as Exercise 1, but further advanced to think how some meaningful object can be trapped in straight lines.
Exercise 3 : Symmetric Rangoli Patterns
Procedure: The rangoli dots are printed on the paper. It is possible to see the symmetric forms in it.These forms are supposed to be basically the simple geometric shapes such as triangles, quadrilateral, hexagons, rhombus etc, as well as any other shapes formed by joining the dots. These forms are to be filled up in colours.
Exercise 4 : Rangoli- Repetiton of Simple Patterns
Procedure: Similar to exercise 3. But here it is expected that the child makes the strips by rotating, transforming same form. This is called Repetitive Transformation. Attention is to be paid to the rule that two adjoining shapes should not share the line. It may touch other shape at some single point but there should not be a common line.
Exercise 5 : Progressive Marking
Purpose:
Several marks on the line can be made at required positions, once the scale is set at the starting position. These points are the values in tables. For example, when the marking is to be done at every 2 cm. interval, you have to put the scale aligning its zero with starting point (i.e. corner of the rectangle) and then marking the points at 2, 4, 6, 8 etc., without lifting the scale.
Procedure:
On the sheet, one rectangle is already given with points marked at 1 c.m. interval. Students are to join these points with straight line, using foot scale. Later, its diagonal lines on one side are drawn, making the drawing full of triangles. Then various shapes are seen in them, marked and painted as per the examples shown here.
Next, an empty rectangle is given. Students should now mark 2 c.m. interval points on all sides and make a grid of 2 x 2 cm. Draw the one side diagonals and make designs.
Exercise 6 : CYCLIC PATTERNS
Purpose :
The curve is composed of several tiny straight lines. This is not easily acceptable to most. This exercise proves this fact. While doing the exercise, the students also understand the meaning of the term CYCLIC, which means, it is a repetition of some sequence, that finally returns to the starting position.
Procedure:
Draw a square of 14 x 14 c.m. using measurement method. Mark cyclic points on the two adjacent sides numbering from 0 to 13. Then join two points with same numbers, i.e. join 1 to 1, 2 to 2 and so on. This generates the curve when all the lines drawn are actually, straight. Then on the same paper, on the right side, a straight line is drawn. Three angled lines of 30 degree each are drawn and cyclic points are marked. The same procedure is followed to generate the pattern as shown in the example
Exercise 7 : CENTRAL SHAPES
Purpose :
To find the centers of lines of regular polygons, and see what happens by joining these points. This gives the same shape inside, in reduced size. While this exercise is done, many simple facts are observed, such as, properties of the diagonals of the square, properties of triangle etc. Here they just use these properties in enjoyable form, which helps a lot in their further studies.
Procedure:
Join the three points A, B, C which forms a triangle. Find the center of AB, BC, CA and join them. It makes 4 triangles inside the original. Now find the centers of these 4 triangle lines and join them. Fill the design in block colours or close line pattern. Next join 4 dots D,E,F,G to form a square.
Join the centers of 4 lines. Further centers can be located NOT BY MEASURING but by putting the scale along the opposite corners. Scale passes exactly over the centers of the lines, helping you to mark them.
Repeat the process 3 to 4 times. Fill up the shapes with block colours or fine line patterns.
Exercise 8 : Ten Random Arcs Pattern
Purpose :
Using rounder properly needs good amount of practice. Also, the distance between two ends i.e. radius and centre of circle or arc etc. are experienced even without knowing the technical names for them. Later, when the same topic is taught in the further classes, understanding comes immediately, as the words there quickly get associated with the activity experienced and learning becomes much simpler.
Procedure:
Draw a rectangle. Fix pencil (short piece) on to the compass i.e. Rounder. Randomly, take some distance between the pencil-tip and steel leg of compass. Place the compass-leg anywhere on the paper. Yes! Inside the rectangle, outside it or on the border lines, wherever you may wish! Draw the arc or a complete circle (If it fits) BUT ONLY INSIDE THE RECTANGLE. No portion of arc or circle should be outside the rectangle. Repeat the process TEN times, changing distance between pencil and compass-leg, placing the leg of compass at various locations, so that the entire rectangle will be filled up with the patterns of arcs crossing each other and thus creating a design, something as shown here. Fill up the designs in colour. Try to locate some objects like fish, bird, etc. and paint them accordingly.
Exercise 9: Ten Meaningful Arc Drawings
Purpose :
It is usually easy to imagine a line when two points are shown. But it is really difficult to imagine a part of the circle (i.e. an arc) that passes through the two points. And it is further more difficult to draw it using compass, because you should also have much perfect estimate of the location where the centre-point should be. It looks simple but is really challenging and rewarding!
Procedure:
By drawing the ten arcs or circles in a thoughtful manner, it is possible to create a picture, as shown in the examples here. In the earlier exercise there was no need to think about the location of the compass-leg and / or the radius of the circle. But now, the child first has to imagine the drawing to be made and also estimate the location and radius and also arc-length to be drawn, if the drawing is to become really meaningful. This is THE BEST EXERCISE to develop the true idea about important shape in geometry- A circle. We recommend that parents should personally take interest in making such drawings with your child aside and experience the rapid development in their understanding and skill.
