INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING 7-PINS.MYW


1.  If you are reading this using Windows Notepad, make sure you have activated Word Wrap (from the Edit menu).


2.  The file 7-PINS.MYW requires My World version 3.  If you haven't got this then you are missing out on a excellent package which can be used right across the primary curriculum.  
    You can find further details at
		www.dialsolutions.com


3.  Download or copy the file to the location where you keep all of your My World screens and then load the screen in the same way that you load others that you use (there are several different ways of loading My World screens; see the My World Help facility for further details).


4.  The screen is designed to run with a screen resolution of 800x600 or higher.  If you are only using 640x480 then you will have to do a lot of scrolling left/right and up/down.
    Like all My World screens, it can be made to fill the whole screen (CTRL-F to toggle this on and off).


5.  The aim of the activity is for pupils to make as many different 7-PIN POLYGONS as possible.  You will probably have to start by explaining to pupils what a POLYGON is (an enclosed shape whose sides are all straight lines) and provide them with a few examples.  A 7-PIN POLYGON is a polygon whose vertices (i.e. corners) all lie on the black hexagonal arrangement of pins.


6.  The 7-PIN POLYGONS are formed on the My World screen by dragging the red line segments into position on the hexagonal arrangement of pins.  The line segments should 'snap' to the nearest black pin.  The line segments can be rotated so that they are aligned in different ways before placing them on the pins.  Only two different line segments are needed to make all of the possible 7-PIN POLYGONS.


7.  This is a very valuable shape and space activity because it raises the important question of "what do we mean by different?".  Pupils are likely to duplicate some of their polygons but not realise this at first because one is a reflection or rotation of the other.  Pupils need to be persuaded that they have drawn the SAME shape but in a DIFFERENT position.


8.  It is also a good activity because it generates a wide range of shapes that pupils need to know about.  Their collection of 7-PIN POLYGONS should include:
     - two equilateral triangles (different sizes)
     - a right-angled triangle
     - an isosceles triangle
     - a rectangle (which is also a parallelogram)
     - a rhombus (which is also a parallelogram)
     - a kite
     - a trapezium
     - a regular hexagon
Use the 7-PIN POLYGONS to discuss the various properties of the shapes listed above.


9.  Once pupils have found all of the 7-PIN POLYGONS they can be used in various ways, for example:

     - Sort them according to their symmetry properties.
       Which ones have got 2, 3, 4,... lines of symmetry?
       Which ones have got rotational symmetry?

     - Sort them according to their angle properties.
       Which ones have got a right-angle, 2 right-angles etc.
       Which ones have got only acute angles?
       Which ones have got an obtuse angle?
       Which ones have got a reflex angle?

     - Work out the area of each one, using the small equilateral triangle as the unit of area.
       i.e. the small equilateral triangle has an area of 1; what are the areas of the others?
       e.g. the rhombus has an area of 2, the hexagon has an area of 6 etc.

     - Use them as the basis of challenging tessellation work.
       Which of the 7-PIN POLYGONS will tessellate on their own?
       Pupils could try this using triangular spotty paper.
       It certainly beats tessellating boring shapes like rectangles and squares!


10. A drawing of all the possible 7-PIN POLYGONS can be found in the accompanying graphics file (7-PINS.BMP) but try to work them out for yourself first.  No cheating!


I hope you and your pupils enjoy this activity.
Let me know how you get on.

Richard English
www.numeracysoftware.com
feedback@numeracysoftware.com