Education Technology


Hands on Reflections

Activity Overview

Students plot points to form an image of their right hand and then use transformations: reflections, rotations and translations to draw their left hand or reposition both hands in a very visual activity.

Objectives

ACMMG181: Describe translations, reflections in an axis, and rotations of multiples of 90° on the Cartesian plane using coordinates. Identify line and rotational symmetries.

Vocabulary

  • Cartesian Plane
  • Plot Points
  • Reflection
  • Rotation
  • Translation
  • Transformation

About the Lesson

Students place their right hand on a grid, trace it and then plot points along this trace. These points are plotted on the calculator to form a digital image, in so doing students practice recording points on the Cartesian plane. These points are then reflected in the y axis to form a the left hand, followed by a series of other transformations.