Stephanie Leggio

Geometry Lesson Plan

MATH 596
Fall 2015
Title: Line Em Up!
Topic: Exploration of different lines through observation of two-dimensional
figures.
Grade level: 4th Grade
Overview: This lesson will introduce parallel and perpendicular lines and
give students the opportunity to use real-life manipulatives to draw out a
deeper understanding of the new content presented.
Lesson Essential Question:
1. What is the difference between parallel and
perpendicular lines?
Standards:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.G.A.1
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5
Prior knowledge assessment: This lesson is an introduction to drawing
and understanding parallel and perpendicular lines. Students will have had
prior knowledge drawing shapes with parallel and perpendicular lines, but
will be introduced to the terminology for the first time during this lesson.
Students will use maps and the letters from the alphabet to explore this
concept.
Objectives:
Lesson Objectives
SWBAT identify parallel and
perpendicular lines within the letters
of the alphabet.

Assessment
1. Students will create
three lists using all of the
letters in the alphabet. The
lists will include letters with
parallel lines, perpendicular
lines, and both lines.
2. Closure activity:
Students will write their first

name in all capital letters and

signify the types of lines found
within the letters of their
name. Students will use
specific colors to identify the
types of lines (i.e. color the
parallel lines blue).
Materials:

Google Maps print out

Geoboards
Graph paper
Colored pencils

Differentiation:
For the map exercise, have maps with already drawn out lines to
help students follow along with the word problem. This will help
students focus on creating definitions for the new terminology.
Early finishers: Provide students will additional maps of Trenton
and have them use the terminology parallel and perpendicular with a
partner. One partner can verbalize the directions using the terminology
and the other partner can follow the directions.
Activities:
Engage
Lesson will begin with a map exercise.
Students will be given a map of Trenton (see example
at bottom of lesson) and will follow the directions provided.
Directions: Mary and Anna are meeting
up at Columbus Park. Mary walks down Hamilton Avenue to
get to the park and Anna walks down Bayard Street to get
to the park. Draw a blue line on each street. These two
streets are parallel to one another.
Can you come up with a
definition for the word parallel? What other two
streets are parallel?
Directions Cont.: Tony and Louis are
walking to Carroll Robbins Elementary School one morning.
Tony walks up Hudson Street toward Hamilton Avenue.
Draw a blue line on Hudson Street. Louis walks on Bayard
Street heading toward Columbus Park. Draw a red line on

Bayard Street. The two boys cross paths on their way to

school. These two lines are perpendicular to one another.
Can you come up with a
definition for the word perpendicular? What other two
street are perpendicular?
Explain
Review the new terminology: parallel lines and perpendicular
lines
Create a list of the terms used by the students in
their personal definitions to come up with a class definition.
Demonstrate how lines can be parallel and
perpendicular using the same map from the first activity.
Elaborate
Pass out geoboards to each student.
Have the students create a capital letter M on their geoboard.
What type of lines do we see in this letter?
Have the students create a capital letter T on their geoboard.
What type of lines do we see in this letter?
Have the students create a capital letter H on their geoboard.
What type of lines do we see in this letter?
Have the students tri-fold their graph paper and ask the students
to make a list of parallel line letters, perpendicular line letters and
letters that have both in each section of the tri-fold. Have the students
use a ruler to make straight lines.
After the students create their list, have the students go back
and use a colored pencil to highlight the lines in the letters that are
parallel or perpendicular.
Closure: Have the students draw their first name (last name as well if their
name is short) on graph paper and identify the parallel and perpendicular
lines in the letters in their name.

______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________

Map for Engage activity: