Hypothetical Learning Trajectories In Mathematics Education

Seeing from Students Point of Views

By
Wahid Yunianto
SEAMEO QITEP In Mathematics

Contents
1.

Introduction..................................................................................................... 3

2.

HLT Construct.................................................................................................. 6

3.

Examples of HLT in RME research....................................................................8

Meeting 1: Javanese Batik Gallery (Line Symmetry)...........................................8
Meeting 2: Rotating the pattern........................................................................19
Meeting 3: Making it symmetrical....................................................................27
Table 4.1........................................................................................................... 34
Table 4.3........................................................................................................... 36
Table 4.3........................................................................................................... 37
Table 4.5........................................................................................................... 40
Table 4.5........................................................................................................... 41
Table 4.6........................................................................................................... 44

References........................................................................................................... 46
1.

Introduction................................................................................................ 18

2.

HLT Construct............................................................................................. 21

3.

Examples of HLT in RME research...........................................................23

Meeting 1: Javanese Batik Gallery (Line Symmetry).........................................23
Meeting 2: Rotating the pattern........................................................................34
Meeting 3: Making it symmetrical....................................................................42

Hypothetical Learning Trajectories In Mathematics Education

Seeing from Students Point of Views

1.Introduction
Most teachers including mathematics teachers think that they know what is going on in
their classrooms. Yes, they know what is happening in the classroom since they have
experienced the same situation many times. The teaching and learning processes are
often repeated with no or little changes. For instance in the teaching and learning of
area measurement, the teacher tells students area formulas of geometrical figures and
gives some examples. Afterward, students should memorize the formulas and solve
some problems. To check students understanding, the teacher asks students certain
questions such as, what the area formula of a rhombus and a rhombus with given
diagonals are. Students answer in choir and the teacher agrees then continue to the next
lesson. Whether students really understand or just remember that formula at that time.
., it is still questionable.
Mathematics teachers mostly give routine tasks and one single way and solution.
Routine tasks seems not potentially let students think to reason and justify strategies
hired to solve the tasks. In Indonesia, possibly, in many Ssouthe East Asia countries,
teachers often choose routine problems. Teachers tend to deliver the routine problems
by directly giving the algorithms or formulas, showing examples, and then practicing
the problems. Through this way, students do not have opportunities to construct
mathematical concepts (). Research shows that once forgetting formulas, students
would face difficulties solving problems (). View of constructivism believed that
mathematics should capitalize on the inventions by the students (Gravemeijer, 2004). It
raises a question what kind of task or activities which lets students (re)invent and
develop mathematical concepts. When teachers develop and design a new task, will
they know what is going to happen in the classroom?
Lets elaborate the two question into how teachers select or develop tasks which help
students see the world though mathematics. Professional teachers will be likely be to
innovating their teaching and learning. The innovations are aimed at helping students
to better understand mathematics. Teachers may develop tasks or activities, tools,
2

media as their innovations. Thus, teachers need to deal with the tasks that will be used
in their teaching and learning. Teachers should consider the appropriate tasks to
develop certain mathematical concepts. Teachers may use/adjust the existing tasks
developed by experts or researchers or develop the tasks by themselves. Even though
teachers hire the existing tasks, they need to conjecture how the tasks would help
students learn mathematics (meaningfully). It differs from transmitting knowledge
where students receive knowledge from the teachers. Now, students should develop
their knowledge and mathematize their world (reinventing mathematics).
Teachers can influence their students inventing activity only in a more indirect
manner. To do so, teachers will have to put themselves in the shoes of the students
(Gravemeijer, 2004). The challenge for the teacher and also for us is to try to see the
world through the eyes of the student. How much these worlds may differ may be
illustrated by pictures of Watsons strip about Calvin and Hobbes. Figure shows the
world of Calvin and his tiger friend Hobbes seen through his eyes, and figure shows
how we see Calvin and his tiger doll.

Figure 1. What Calvin sees when playing with Hobbes

Figure 2.What we see when Calvin plays with Hobbes

As a teacher, we should position ourselves in students situation. What will we do (we

pretend as a certain age student) if we face the designed task (instructional activity). As
teacher, you might easily deal with the task and successfully find the answer. However,
you might only have one way to solve it, maybe in a formal way. For instance, in
dealing with the following task:

There are four groups of students, A, B, C, and D taking a field trip. Group A, B, C, and
D go to Museum, Ellies Island, Sstatue of Liberty, and Planetarium respectively. The
Committee only provideprovides 17 sandwiches for lunch.

(taken from http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/sandwich-20clipart)

This is how the sandwiches are distributed to each group.

5students
4students

go to Ellis island

go to Museum

Adapted from: Young Mathematicians At Work

Constructing Fractions, Decimals, And Percentsby
Catherine TwomeyFosnot Maarten Dolk, 2002

5students
8students

go to Planetarium

go to statue of Liberty

To which group are you in? Why do you choose that group?
It is not difficult for an adult or you as a teacher to find the solution. What will you do is directly
divide the number of sandwiches by the number of students.

Figure3 . Direct calculation performed by adults

Most teachers solved the problem by directly find the result of division of whole numbers. Then
they compared the decimal numbers. Then they will find difficulties explaining why it is more
than others. They will argue that the number is larger than other numbers and stop. To some
extends, it is not easy to conjecture what students might response. Even, the teacher has many
year experiences of teaching, if he/she only delivered routine tasks then he predicted only
students could solve it in one uniform strategy.

Figure 4.One of students possible answers

Gravemeijer (2004) states that to be able to plan instructional activities that may foster
certain student inventions, the teacher has to take an actors point of view, and to try to
anticipate what students might do. In this manner, the teacher can plan instructional
activities that may foster the mental activities of the students, and which fit his or her
5

pedagogical agenda. This is the idea of Simon (1995) about hypothetical learning
trajectory (HLT) where teachers have to envision how the thinking and learning would
be when students participate in the tasks relating to its learning goals.

2.HLT Construct
Simon (1995) conceptualized hypothetical learning trajectory with three
components as follow:
Learning goal
It defines the direction. Where do you want to bring your students to more
sophisticated knowledge from their currents?
The learning activities.
Students will engage on the design activities which have potential support or
means to help students construct new knowledge and (re)invent
mathematics.
The hypothetical learning process
It consists of conjectures of possible students reactions toward the given
activities and also teachers responses to students reactions.
He speaks of a mathematical teaching cycle; the HLT is a big part of the cycle. The
creation and ongoing modification of the hypothetical learning trajectory is depicted on
figure xxx. The initial HLT is not always perfect, by using experiences, experiments,
and studying the teaching and learning of mathematics educations, and deepening the
mathematics concepts can refine and improve the HLT. Teachers at first set the
learning goals and use or develop the activities to achieve the goals. Therefore, the
decision of choosing the activities is crucial. The teacher has the dual role of fostering
the development of conceptual knowledge among her or his students and of facilitating
the constitution of shared knowledge in the classroom community ( Simon, 1995). He
explained, the notion of a hypothetical learning trajectory is not meant to suggest that
the teacher always pursues one goal at a time or that only one trajectory is considered.
Rather, it is meant to underscore the importance of having a goal and rationale for
teaching decisions and the hypothetical nature of such thinking. The development of a
hypothetical learning process and the development of the learning activities have a
symbiotic relationship; the generation of ideas for learning activities is dependent on
the teacher's hypotheses about the development of students' thinking and learning;
further generation of hypotheses of student conceptual development depends on nature
of anticipated activities

Figure 6. Teaching cycle (Simon, 1995)

Teacher may set the learning trajectory to achieve the learning goals. The learning
trajectory here is still hypothetical, since we are not sure how students deal with the
given problems or how they construct new knowledge (Fostnot & Dolk, 2002). Thus,
teachers expectation may not occur as expected or unpredictable situations happened
without anticipatory actions. Since, students differ in their ways of thinking, especially
when the tasks are too open. Learning trajectory seems to be linear, but real learning is
messy (Duckworth, 1987 in Fosnot & Dolk, 2002). Then teachers may move in some
paths in order arrive the learning goals. Therefore, Fosnot & Dolk called this as
landscape of learning.

Figure7.Linear framework (left) and hypothetical learning trajectory (right)

(Fosnot&Dolk, 2000)
The choice of the word" trajectory"is meant to refer to a path, the nature of which can perhaps be
clarified by the following analogy. Consider that you have decided to sail around the world in order
to visit places that you have never seen. One does not do this randomly (e.g., go to France, then
Hawaii, then England), but neither is there one set itinerary to follow. Rather, you acquire as much
knowledge relevant to planning your journey as possible. You then make a plan. You may initially
plan the whole trip or only part of it. You set out sailing according to your plan. However, you must
constantly adjust because of the conditions that you encounter. You continue to acquire knowledge
about sailing, about the currentconditions, and about the areas that you wish to visit. You change
your plans with respect to the order of your destinations. You modify the length and nature of your
visits as a result of interactions with people along the way. You add destinations that prior to your

trip were unknown to you. The path that you travel is your "trajectory. "The path that you
anticipate at any point in time is your "hypothetical trajectory (Simon, 136-37)

3.Examples of HLT in RME research

The following is the learning sequence in teaching and learning addition of fraction
using RME design. The hypothetical learning trajectory of each lesson / meeting is
developed and elaborated based on the research conducted in an elementary school in
Indonesia. The topic for the following HLT is about symmetry. It makes use of batik
pattern, since it embeds symmetrical and non-symmetrical patterns. There are three
meetings in this lesson with two or three activities in each meeting.

Meeting 1: Javanese Batik Gallery (Line Symmetry)

A. The starting point
The starting point of this first activity will be based on the students prior knowledge of
symmetry which already taught in grade 4, but it is particularly from their written
works in the pre-test. In the grade 4, the students already learned the following
knowledge and skills of symmetry,
The students are able to identify the symmetrical objects in daily life
The students are able to determine the symmetrical two-dimensional shapes
The students define line symmetry as a line that determines whether the objects are
symmetric.

B. The mathematical learning goal

The first activity aims at making the students to be able to understand the notion of line
symmetry by exploring the characteristic of batik patterns. The goal can be elaborated
into these following sub-learning goals,
The students are able to differentiate the patterns which have regularity (line

symmetry) and the patterns that have no regularity.

The students are able to deduce the characteristics of line symmetry from the

regular batik patterns by using a mirror.

The students are able to differentiate between diagonal and line symmetry on the

batik patterns.
In order to achieve the learning goal, the researcher presents table 1 for giving an
overview of the main activity and the hypotheses of learning process and the details
information in the following section.

Main Activity
Sorting the Batik
patterns into two
types based on
the regularity.

Mathematical Learning
Goal
The students are able to
differentiate the patterns
which have regularity (line
symmetry) and the patterns
that have no regularity

Conjectured of Students Thinking

Teachers rea

The students sort the patterns based on

the similarity in motif
Example: living creature motif
Room 1 consists of Batik with living
creatures motif (B, C, F, K)
Room 2 consists of Batik with non
living creatures motif
(A, D, E, G, H, I, J, L)

Give several suggestions

try to observe the patt
imagine how will you dr
relate it with the reg
patterns?
Guide the students to
regularity among the pat
to the details of the moti
The expected reaction
Ask the students about t
that they mean,
The students sort the patterns based on
Why do you determine b
the regularity of the patterns in which pattern which havehas re
whether the patterns consist of repeating What kind of regularity
motif and the patterns that are unique.
mean?
Example:
Guide the students to ac
Room 1 : Batik A, D, G, H, I, J, L
the regularity refers to
Room 2 : Batik B, C, E, F, K
pattern.

Discovering the
characteristics of
line symmetry
from the regular
batik patterns by
using a mirror

The students are able to

deduce the characteristics of
line symmetry from the
regular batik patterns by
using a mirror.

The expected reaction:

Ask the students t
The students put the mirror the mirror in exploration with a mirro
the
middle of the pattern
patterns and guide them
and
acknowledge that the
half
pattern
is
the the mirror positions o
reflection
of
Look at the mirror po
mirro
another
half
have already determine
r
pattern.
see from the mirror posi

Determining the
diagonals and the
axes of symmetry
of the patterns

The students are able to The expected reaction:

The teacher can ask the f
differentiate
between The students can draw the diagonals and such as,
the axes of symmetry correctly
What is the difference b
diagonal and line symmetry
diagonal and the axes of
on the batik patterns.
Is the diagonal of a sha
become its axes of symm
Guide the students to ack
the diagonal is not alway
axes of symmetry. It just
diagonal
particular cases.
the axes of
symmetry

10

Table 1. An overview of the activities in meeting 1 and the hypotheses of learning

process

11

C. The instructional activities

a) Introducing the context of Javanese batik gallery
This first activity uses the context of Javanese batik gallery in which the gallery will
held an exhibition. As the gallery just has only two rooms, the staffs need to sort the
Batik patterns into two types based on their regularity. The teacher should make sure
that all students understand the problem and exactly know what they should do. It can
be done by asking several students to paraphrase the problem and asking the other
students whether they agree with the statement. The example of questions,
Could you explain the problem in your own words?
Do you agree with your friends statement? Why do you think so?
b) Doing the worksheet
After discussing what the context is about, the students will get oriented to do the
worksheet in the group which consists of three to four students.
c) Classroom discussion
Several pairs of students who have different answers in solving the problem on the
worksheet will have an opportunity to present their answers. Then, the other students
will have a chance to give comments or state their opinions whether they agree or
disagree with the presentation. The teacher will lead the discussion so that all the groups
have a chance to state their answers and keep the discussion focusing on the problem. In
the end of the discussion, the teacher reviews the answers of the regular patterns, the
definition of line symmetry and the difference between diagonal and the axes of
symmetry. There are two important points of this lesson. First point is about the notion
of line symmetry which is represented by the regularity of the motif that consistconsists
of repeating unit patterns. Second point is about the difference between the diagonal
and the axes of symmetry.
d) Closing activity
The teacher asks the students to reflect the lesson such as by asking these following
questions
What does line symmetry mean?
What are the differences between the diagonal and the axes of symmetry?
D. The conjectures of students thinking and learning
The conjectures of students thinking and learning will be described based on the three
tasks on the worksheet.
1) The first task
This task asks the students to fill the table (figure 8) with their sorting result.

12

Figure 8.The figure of table to fill the sorting result

In line with table 4.1, the following are the possibilities of students sorting result.
The students sort the patterns based on the colour
Room 1 : A, B, C, F, H, I, L
Room 2 : D, E, G, J, K
The students might answer that they sort the patterns by looking up the colour and they
see that most of the patterns are brown, so that they sort the patterns by differentiating
brown patterns and non-brown patterns.
The students sort the patterns based on the similarity in motif (living creature motif)
Room 1 : B, C, F, K
Room 2 : A, D, E, G, H, I, J, L
The students might answer that they sort the patterns by looking up the motif of the
patterns. They see that there are several patterns which have motif of flowers or
animals.
The students sort the patterns based on the way of designing the motif
Room 1 : A, D, G, H, I, J, L
Room 2 : B, C, E, F, K
The students might answer that they sort the patterns by looking up the way of
designing the motif of the patterns. They see that there are several patterns which need
to be equal in size among each other. Hence, it needs lines to draw as the following
figure,

Then, the following figure is the pattern that cannot directly be drawn without making
a line.

13

Therefore, they will answer that

they sort the patterns based on

the way of designing the motif.

The students sort the patterns based on the regularity of the motif whether they
consist of repeating patterns
Room 1 : Batik A, D, G, H, I, J, L
Room 2 : Batik B, C, E, F, K
The students might answer that they sort the patterns by observing the motif of the
patterns. They see that there are several patterns which consist of repeating patterns
and other patterns that are unique. So, the whole regular pattern is created from the
same unit Batik pattern.
It is also possible that students just divide the figures into two piles without any reason.
Therefore, the teacher should give some supports such as: take a look closely what makes
it special, what do you see from those figures?
2) The second task
This task asks the students to explore the regular batik patterns by using a mirror in
order to discover the notion of line symmetry. These are the possibilities of what

students will do in using a mirror and defining line symmetry.

The students put the mirror in the edge of the batik patterns

mirror

Then, the students

same with the initial

acknowledge that the reflection on the mirror is the

pattern.

14

The students put the mirror in the middle of the patterns

mirror

Then,

the

students acknowledge that the mirror reflects the same

pattern as the pattern which is covered

3) The third task
This task asks the students to determine the diagonals and the axes of symmetry of the
batik patterns. These are the possibilities of students answers.
The students draw the axes of symmetry and diagonals of the pattern correctly
Pattern A
Pattern B

The axes of
symmetry

Diagonal
Pattern C

The axes of
symmetry

Diagonal

Pattern D

The

The axes of
symmetry

Diagonal

No axes of
symmetry

Diagonal
students perceive that the

diagonal always become the axes of symmetry of the pattern

or vice versa.
Example:

The axes of symmetry

Diagonal

The axes of symmetry Diagonal

The teachers reaction

15

By considering the possibilities of students answer, the teacher can do these follow-up
actions.
1) The first task
The students sort the patterns based on the colour
The teacher shows the Batik patterns which are printed in black and white and asks
them to sort the patterns. It aims at making the students realize that their way of sorting
by looking up the colours is not general enough. The students should observe the motif
of the patterns instead of their colour.

The students sort the patterns based on the similarity in the motif (living creatures
motif)

The teacher takes one pattern with motif of flower like the following figure. Then, the
teacher asks the students to observe the motif more thoroughly. Then, the teacher can
ask a follow-up question
I

magine how you will draw the patterns, do you find any
same motif inside the pattern? Teacher guides the
students to notice that the patterns consist of repeating

unit patterns (regular).

students sort the patterns based on the way of designing

The
the motif

The teacher asks the students to do further exploration to the patterns such as by asking
what do you mean by making line, where will you draw the lines?. The teacher also can
ask the students to draw the line of each pattern that they assume as the patterns that
need lines to draw. Then, the teacher can guide the students to notice the basic notion of
line symmetry for some particular lines. For example,

The

students

sort the patterns based on the

motif whether they consist of repeating patterns

The teacher asks the students about the regularity that the students mean,
Why do you determine batik A as the pattern which have regularity?
What kind of regularity that you mean?
Guide the students to acknowledge that the regularity refers to the repeating pattern.
16

2) The second task

The students put the mirror in the edge of the regular batik pattern then they
acknowledge that the reflection on the mirror is the same with the initial pattern.
The teacher can ask the students to put the mirror in the edge of the batik patterns
which nave no regularity. Then, the teacher asks about what the students see in the
mirror. The students might answer that the reflection on the mirror is the same with the
initial pattern. Then, the teacher poses following question,
If you think so, then there is no difference between Batik patterns which have regularity
and no regularity?
What do you think, do you need to re-position the mirror in order to differentiate the
regular Batik patterns and the patterns which have no regularity.
The follow-up questions are intended to lead the students to position their mirror in the

centre of the pattern (vertically, horizontally and diagonally)

The students put the mirror in the middle of the patterns. The teacher can ask the
students to do further exploration with a mirror to the regular patterns and guide them
to determine the mirror positions of each pattern. It also can be followed up with
questions such as
Look at the mirror positions that you have already determined, what do you see from the
mirror position?
What do you usually name the mirror position?
The follow-up questions are used to lead the students to relate the mirror position with

the axes of symmetry.

3) The third task
The students draw the axes of symmetry and diagonals of the pattern correctly
The teacher can give some following questions to make sure that the students

understand the difference between the axes of symmetry and diagonals

So, what is the difference between the axes of symmetry and diagonals?
Do the axes of symmetry always become the diagonal of the shape?
Do the diagonals always become the axes of symmetry of the shape?
The students perceive that the diagonal always become the axes of symmetry of the
pattern
The teacher can show batik pattern B or D and ask the students to draw the diagonal of
each pattern. Then, ask the students to observe whether the diagonal divide the pattern
into two same parts and reflecting each other. If the students still feel difficult in
perceiving that the diagonal is not the axes of symmetry, then the teacher can use a
mirror to make them realize that the patterns are not reflecting each other. It is
intended to make the students see and realize that the diagonal of the pattern is not
always its axes of symmetry.

17

Meeting 2: Rotating the pattern

A. The starting point
To start the second activity, the students should understand the notion of regularity
which represents the repeating unit patterns.
B. The mathematical learning goal
The second activity aims at making the students to be able to get the notion of rotational
symmetry by exploring the characteristic of batik patterns. The goal can be elaborated
into these following sub-learning goals,
The students are able to differentiate the patterns which have regularity (rotational

symmetry) and the patterns that have no regularity.

The students are able to deduce the characteristics of rotational symmetry from the

regular batik patterns by using a pin and the transparent batik cards.
The students are able to determine the characteristics of rotational symmetry (the

order of rotation, the angle of rotation and the point of rotation)

In order to achieve the learning goal, the researcher presents table 4.2 for giving an
overview of the main activity and the hypotheses of learning process and the details
information in the following section.

18

Activity
Sorting the Batik
patterns into two
types based on
the regularity.

Mathematical Learning
Goal
The students are able to
differentiate the patterns
which
have
regularity
(rotational symmetry) and the
patterns
that
have
no
regularity.

Conjectured of Students Strategies

Teachers rea

The expected strategy:

Ask the students about th

that they mean,
The students sort the patterns based on the Why do you determine b
regularity of the patterns in which whether pattern which have regu
the patterns consist of repeating motif and What kind of regularity
the patterns that are unique.
mean?
Guide the students to ack
Example:
the regularity refers to th
Room 1 : Batik A, E, F, G, H, K, L
pattern.
Room 2 : Batik B, C, D, I, J

Discovering the
characteristics of
rotational
symmetry from
the regular batik
patterns by using
a pin and
transparent batik
cards

The students are able to

deduce the characteristics of
rotational symmetry from the
regular batik patterns by
using a pin and the
transparent batik cards.

The expected strategy:

The students put the transparent batik cards
above the corresponding patterns and
position the pin in the centre of the card.
Then, they turn around the transparent
batik card and count how many times the
pattern fit into itself in one round angle
(360o).
Example:

The teacher asks the stud

the pattern and determi
pattern fit into itself as fo
What did happen to th
you turn around?
How about the position
pattern and after you tur
they have the same posit

Determining the
characteristics of
rotational
symmetry from
the provided
patterns

The students are able to

determine the characteristics
of rotational symmetry (the
order of rotation, the angle of
rotation and the point of
rotation)

The expected answer:

The students can determine the
characteristics of rotational symmetry
properly such as
- the order of rotation depends on how
many the pattern fit into itself in one
round angle
- the angle of rotation can be determined
by dividing 360o with the order of
rotation
- the point of rotation is the center point of
the pattern which can be determined
from the intersection of the diagonals or
the axes of symmetry

The teacher can guide

have a further inves
rotational symmetry such

Does the pattern which

symmetry always have li

19

Table 2.An overview of activities in meeting 2 and the hypothesis of the learning process

20

C. The instructional activities

a) The initial activity
The teacher starts the lesson by showing the regular Batik patterns which already
discussed in the first meeting and asking the students about regularity in the pattern. It
aims at reviewing the students understanding of regularity so that it can help them to
do the intended task. In addition, the size of one full angle, right angle and other special
angle should be reviewed. It aims at supporting the students to do the worksheet and
acknowledge the relation between one full angle and the order of rotation in which it
determines the angle of rotation.
b) Doing the worksheet
The students get oriented to do the worksheet in a group which consists of three to four
students. It is intended to make the students discuss and share their ideas so that they
will obtain more ideas and do the task easier than doing individually.
c) Classroom discussion
Several groups of students who have different answers and strategies will have an
opportunity to present their answers. Then, the other students will have a chance to give
comments or state their opinions whether they agree or disagree with the presentation.
The main point of the discussion is the characteristics of the regular Batik patterns
which lead the students to acknowledge the notion of rotational symmetry. Then, the
students will have an opportunity to define the meaning of rotational symmetry
individually. After five minutes, the students and the teacher discuss the meaning of
rotational symmetry and its characteristics.
d) Closing activity
The teacher asks the students to reflect the lesson such as by asking the following
questions,

What do we have learned today?

Can you define rotational symmetry in your own words?

Besides, the teacher can give a Batik pattern and ask the students whether it has a
rotational symmetry.

21

D. The conjectures of students thinking and learning

The conjectures of students thinking and learning will be described based on the three
tasks on the worksheet.
1) The first task
This task asks the students to fill the table with their sorting result.

In line with table 2, the following are the possibilities of students sorting result.
The students sort the batik patterns based on the colour, the motif or other constraints
instead of their regularity
Room 1 (blue batik patterns): B, C, G, H, J
Room 2 (brown and black batik patterns): A, D, E, F, I, K, L
The students might answer that they sort the patterns by looking up the colour and they
see that most of the patterns are blue and brown, so that they sort the patterns by
differentiating blue patterns and brown & black patterns.
The students sort the patterns based on the regularity of the patterns in which whether
the patterns consist of repeating motif or the pattern is unique.
Room 1 : Batik A, E, F, G, H, K, L
Room 2 : Batik B, C, D, I, J
The students might answer that they sort the patterns by looking up whether the
pattern consist of repeating patterns or an unique pattern. It might be happened
because they already experienced the similar activity in the first meeting.

22

2) The second task

The students put the transparent batik cards above the corresponding patterns and
position the pin in the vertices of the cards and rotate it as

follows

The students

put the transparent batik cards above the corresponding

patterns,

position the pin in the centre of the card, and rotate it.

However, they rotate the transparent batik cards for 360 o in every rotation. As the
result, they will perceive that the pattern will fit into itself for many times.

360o
The students put the transparent batik cards above the corresponding patterns and
position the pin in the centre of the card. Then, they turn around the transparent batik
card and count how many times the pattern fit into itself in one round angle

3) The third task

The students cannot determine the characteristics of rotational symmetry properly
- the order of rotation is the pattern fit into itself
- the angle of rotation is the degree of the rotation angle
The students have no idea in estimating the angle of rotation.
The students estimate the angle of rotation by seeing the movement of the initial pattern
from the first position until the pattern fits into itself.
- the point of rotation is the center point of the pattern
The students can determine the characteristics of rotational symmetry properly such as
- the order of rotation depends on how many the pattern fit into itself in one round
angle
- the angle of rotation can be determined by dividing 360o with the order of rotation
- the point of rotation is the center point of the pattern which can be determined from
the intersection of the diagonals or the axes of symmetry
The teachers reaction
These are the description of teachers reaction toward the conjectures of what students
do in doing the given tasks
23

1) The first task

The students do not sort the batik patterns based on their regularity
If the students sort the patterns by their colour, then the teacher can ask the following
questions:
How if the patterns are not printed in colour, how will you sort them?
If the students already realized that their sorting strategy is not general enough, Then,
the teacher can suggest the students to observe the details of the motif. It leads the
students to notice about several patterns which consist of repeating patterns.
If the students sort the patterns based on the details of the motif or other constraints,
then the teacher can suggest them to review the regularity that they already discussed in
the first meeting. It is intended to make the students acknowledge that the regularity
always refer to the repeating patterns.

The students sort the patterns based on the regularity of the patterns in which
whether the patterns consist of repeating motif or the pattern is unique.

The teacher asks the students about the regularity that the students mean,
In this task, what do you define regularity?
This question is intended to know how the students sort the patterns based on their
regularity.
The teacher also can give follow-up questions as follows,
Instead of the repeating patterns, what do you notice from the regular pattern?
The students might answer that the regular patterns have line symmetry. Then, the
teacher can refer to the pattern G and ask the following question,
Look at pattern G, it consists of repeating pattern but does it have line symmetry?
This question aims at guiding the students to do the next task which is discovering the
notion of rotational symmetry.

2) The second task

The students put

the pin
the vertices
of the cards
as follows
Thein
teacher
asks a follow-up
question
as follows,
What does happened to the pattern after you turn it around?
Do you see any differences between initial pattern and the
patterns after you turn it around?
If I want to turn the pattern around and make the pattern
24
stays still in that position, where should I put the pin?

The students put the pin in the centre of the card, but they turn around the card for
360o in every rotation. As the result, they will perceive that the patterns will fit into

themselves for many times.

The teacher can tell the students that they should figure out whether the patterns fit into
themselves for degree of rotation less than 360 o. The teacher can suggest the students to
start rotating the pattern from the red mark in top left of the pattern until the mark
gets back to the top left of the pattern.
In this case, you are just allowed to turn the pattern
around for one rotation, then count how many times the
pattern fit into itself?

The students put the pin in the centre of the cards as follows,
The teacher asks follow up questions such as.
Do you see any differences between the motif on the initial
pattern and the patterns after you turn it around?
How about the position of the initial pattern and after you

3)
The third task turn it around, do they have the same position?
The students cannot determine the characteristics of rotational symmetry properly
The teacher can use pattern A as the example. Related to the order of rotation, the
teacher can ask the students how many times the pattern A fit into itself. Then, the
teacher can refer the students answer to the order of rotation
Related to the angle of rotation, the teacher can ask the students to count how many
pattern A fit into itself and review the size of one round angle (360 o). It is intended to
make the students acknowledge that the angle of rotation can be determined by dividing
360o with the order of rotation
Doing the rotation is turning the pattern around under one full angle. Hence, if the
pattern can fit into itself for 4 times in one round, then what can you conclude?
Related to the point of rotation, the teacher can ask the students to show how they
determine the center of the pattern F and how they can be so sure that it is the center of
the pattern.
Do you have any strategy to make sure that the point of rotation is located in the center of
the pattern?
The questions aims at making the students draw the diagonals or the axes of symmetry
of the pattern.
The students can determine the characteristics of rotational symmetry properly

25

The teacher can ask them whether the pattern which havepatterns which have rotational
symmetry always have line symmetry. Then ask them to give some examples.
Then, for which cases the centre of rotation is in the intersection of line symmetry or
diagonals?
It aims at making the students aware that having rotational symmetry does not always
mean having line symmetry, for example : parallelogram

Meeting 3: Making it symmetrical

A. The starting point
The students understand the concept of line symmetry in which the patterns are divided
into two parts and reflecting each other and rotational symmetry in which the pattern
should be rotated under the angle of rotation and fit into itself.
B. The mathematical learning goal
The third activity aims at making the students apply their understanding of line and
rotational symmetry. The goal can be elaborated into these following sub-learning goals,
The students are able to make the asymmetric batik pattern into the symmetric ones
The students are able to complete the pattern by considering the given axes of
symmetry
The students are able to create their own batik design by using provided batik units
In order to achieve the learning goal, the researcher presents table 4.3 for giving an
overview of the main activity and the hypotheses of learning process and the details
information in the following section.
Activity

Mathematical Learning
Conjectured of Students Strategies
Goal
Restructuring The students are able to The students cut the pattern into several parts and past
asymmetric
make asymmetric
them such that the patterns become symmetrical. Fo
patterns into
patterns into
example,
symmetrical
symmetric ones.
patterns

the pattern are

Drawing the
remaining
pattern such
that it
becomes
symmetric

being rotated and repositioned

The students are able to The students complete the patterns by considering the un
complete the pattern by pattern and the axes of symmetry as follows,
considering the given
axes of symmetry

26

Designing the
symmetric
pattern by
using the
provided
batik units

The students are able to The students draw their own pattern by using the provide
create their own batik batik units and considering the given angle of rotation
design
by
using
provided batik units

Tabel3. An overview of activities in meeting 3 and the hypothesis of the learning process

27

C. The instructional activities

a) The initial activity
In the beginning of the lesson, the definition and the characteristics of line and
rotational symmetry should be reviewed. It aims at supporting the students to apply
their understanding of both line and rotational symmetry in making symmetrical
patterns.
b) Doing the worksheet
The students do the worksheet individually. It is intended to see how each student apply
his/her understanding of symmetry. While the students do the worksheet, the teacher
will supervise how the students do the given tasks.
c) Classroom discussion
The students will present their answers and strategies in creating symmetrical patterns.
During the discussion, the teacher should make sure that all students understand how to
apply the characteristics of line and rotational symmetry in creating symmetrical
patterns. The most important point is that the line symmetry always makes the pattern
becomes two congruent parts which reflect each other and rotational symmetry always
makes the pattern fits into itself.
d) Closing activity
In the end of the lesson, the students will reflect what they have been learned from the
activity. The teacher can ask some following questions,
What do you have to consider in making symmetrical patterns?
What is the role of line symmetry in creating symmetrical patterns?
How do you draw the angle of rotation?
D. The conjecture of students thinking and learning
These are the possibilities of students answers and strategies in doing the worksheet.
1) The first task
The students cut the pattern into several parts and paste them such that the pattern
becomes symmetrical.

these patterns are being rotated & repositioned

28

The students cut the pattern into several parts, but they paste them in the wrong way so
that the pattern does not become symmetrical. For example,

these patterns are being rotated & repositioned

2) The second task

The students complete the pattern with the same motif without considering the axes of
symmetry as follows,

The students complete the pattern with the same motif and consider the axes of
symmetry such that the pattern becomes symmetrical as follows,

3) The third task

The students draw their own pattern by using the provided batik units and considering
the given angle of rotation

The students firstly draw the given angle in one full angle and its axes. Then, they imitate
the provided unit by considering the given angle.
The students draw their own pattern by using the provided batik units but without
considering the given angle of rotation

29

The teachers reaction

These are the description of follow-up action that the teacher can do toward the conjectures
of students answers and strategies,
1) The first task
The students cut the pattern into several parts and paste them such that the patterns
become symmetrical.
The teacher can ask the students about other strategies in making the patterns become
symmetrical and their reasoning in arranging the patterns. For example : Do you think
there is any other way to arrange the patterns become symmetrical?
Why do you arrange the pattern in that way, what do you consider?

The students cut the pattern into several parts, but they paste them in the wrong way so
that the pattern does not become symmetrical

The teacher suggests the students to observe the pattern more thoroughly and review the
definition of line symmetry in which the half pattern should reflect each other.
What does line symmetry mean?
What do you have to consider the make the pattern has a line symmetry?
It aims at encouraging the students to use the right concept of line symmetry in arranging
the patterns.
2) The second task
The students complete the pattern with the same motif without considering the given
axes of symmetry
The teacher asks the students to review the definition and the characteristics of line
symmetry. It aims at making the students realize that the half pattern should be similar
and reflect each other.
What is the axies of symmetry? In order to make symmetrical pattern, you should consider
the given axes of symmetry.

The students complete the pattern with the same motif and consider the given axes of

symmetry such that the pattern becomes symmetrical

The teacher asks the students to explain their reasoning and their procedure in completing
the pattern in that way.
3) The third task
The students draw their own pattern by using the provided batik units and considering
the given angle of rotation
30

The teacher will ask the students to explain their procedure in designing the Batik patterns
and determine the number of line symmetry, the order of rotation, the angle of rotation and
the centre rotation.
The students draw their own pattern by using the provided batik units but without
considering the given angle of rotation
The teacher asks the students to review the definition rotational symmetry and its
characteristics. The example of questions,
What is the definition of rotational symmetry?
Now, look at your pattern more thoroughly and see whether the definitions hold
for your pattern
What is the angle of rotation?

There is no single format to create HLT for your design. You may create it in a table or you
may describe it in paragraphs. The following is another HLT for teaching and learning of
area measurement. This topic is intended for grade 7 students in Indonesia. There are six
meetings use for this lesson. The lesson is to let students develop their understanding of the
concepts related to area measurement and about perimeter.

31

Table 4.1.The overview of the activity and the hypothesis of the learning process in lesson 1
Activity
Comparing leaves

Learning Goal
Conjectured of Students thinking
Students are able to
The students will try to compare the leaves by:
compare two leaves
Use their superficial judgmentjust by looking at
with their own
two leaves and say one leaf is larger than the
strategies.
other because it looks bigger or wider or the
Students grasp the idea
that an irregular shape
leaves are almost the same
Trace one leaf and place it over the other one to
has an area.
Students understand
see the non- overlapping areas
that area is region
Overlap one leaf to the other one and cut parts
inside the boundary.
of non-overlapping area and paste them to
non- overlapping area of another leaf.

Guidance for teacher

After the teacher distributes
worksheet 1 to each group then ask
students whether they understand
the problem on the worksheet or
not.Could you tell me what the
problem is?
If students answer based on the
superficial judgment or use their
perception, the teacher may ask
students how they can be confident
about their argument by asking:
How do you know it? How do
you prove it? How do you
convince others?
If students have difficulties, then
the teacher asks students if they
have the leaves on their hands,
what they will do.
What will you do if you have those
leaves in your hands?
Ask students what they can do from
the leaves on the worksheet.
If students reply that they need
something to cut, then provide the
materials. Otherwise, just provide
the materials.
33

Activity
Comparing rice fields

Learning Goal
Students are able to
compare two irregular
figures by overlapping,
cutting and pasting.
Students grasp the
concept of
conservation of area

Conjectured of Students thinking

The students will use the same strategies like in
comparing leaves.
Use their superficial judgment by just looking
at two rice fields and say one rice field is
larger than the other one because it looks
longer or almost the same.
Trace one rice field and place it over the other
one to see the non- overlapping areas
Overlap one rice field to the other one and cut
parts of non-overlapping area and paste them
to non- overlapping area of the other rice

Comparing dotted rice

fields

field.
Students are able to
Students may count the dots one by one in each
compare two with their rice field and compared them.
own strategies.
Student will make rectangles to count the dots
Students understand
efficiently as shown below:
that area is region
inside the boundary.
They will grasp the
or they will make a bigger rectangle covering
idea of unit
the rice field and use the multiplication strategy
measurement but not
to count the dots and then subtracting the result
too much focused on
with the outsider dots.
this meeting.

Guidance for teacher

The teacher may ask students
about plants that produce food for
human to the rice field. Tell me
plants that produce food for
human! The teacher asks students
what they know about the shape of
rice fields. What do you know
about the shape of rice fields?
The teacher asks students whether
the area of the rice fields changes
or not when they cut and paste the
rice fields. What happens to the
leaf after you cut and paste?
If students count the dots one by
one, ask them to count the dots in a
faster way. Do you know any other
faster way to count the dots?
If students have difficulties, ask
them to cut and overlap. Can you
cut and overlap the rice fields?

35

Activity

Learning Goal

Conjectured of Students thinking

Students combine tracing and
counting strategies and count
only the dots in the nonoverlapping parts.
Table 4.3.The overview of the activity and the hypothesis of the learning process in lesson 3
Activity Lesson 3
Determining the rice field to
make a fair deal.
Grasp the idea of perimeter.
Comparing the perimeter
before and after the reshaping

Learning Goal
Students are able to choose
which rice field to fairly
exchange the farmers rice
field by comparing the area.
Students are able to
differentiate between area
and perimeter.
Students understand that
reshaping will preserve the
area not the perimeter.
Students are able to
differentiate between area
and perimeter.

Conjectured of Students thinking

Some students may choose one of
the options and maybe more than
one.
Students only judge superficially
based on their visual. They will say
that it is fair because the farmer
will get a longer rice field or it is
not fair because the shape is
different.
Students will choose rice field
which has the same perimeter as the
farmers rice field by using the
string.
Students will choose the
rectangular rice fields because it is
regular and common.Students will
choose the rice field which has the
same area by reshaping the farmers
rice field.
Students will compare the lengths
of the string to measure the
perimeter of each rice field.

Guidance for teacher

Guidance for teacher

Ask students to convince their
arguments
Tell me the reason why you think
so?
Can you convince others?
Maybe the materials can help you
If students choose the rice field with
the same perimeter, just let them to
do so and this group will present in
the classroom discussion.
If students cut and paste the farmers
rice field to fit the optional rice field,
ask students
Why do you do that, What is your
goal by doing that?
If students choose only the
rectangular rice fields, ask:
Why do you choose them? Do they
have the same area?
After students finish worksheet 6, tell
students that they will discuss their
work later.
37

Activity Lesson 3

Learning Goal

Conjectured of Students thinking

Students will use the string to
measure the perimeter before and
after reshaping and compare them

Guidance for teacher

The teacher may ask students what is
the difference between area and
perimeter.

Reshaping quadrilaterals into a

rectangular.

Students are able to do cut

and paste to reshape figures
into a rectangle.

Students may do trial and error. As

students are able to do reshaping in
previous activity, this geometrical
figures are easier to reshape.

Ask students how they reshape it.

What did you do first? Did you do
trial and error? Or do you have your
way to reshape them?
Ask also: If you reshape, what will
remain the same and what will not?
What do you know about area and
perimeter?
If you reshape, do you think it will
help you to find the area after
reshaping? Why?

Table 4.3.The overview of the activity and the hypothesis of the learning process in lesson 4

39

Activity Lesson 4
Comparing tiled floors

Learning Goal
Students are able to compare
two floors with different tiles
as their unit measurements.
Students understand the need
of the same square unit to
compare area.

Conjectured of Students thinking

Students will count the number of
tiles on each floor either one by one
or using multiplication strategy.
Students will compare the number of
tiles from the floors and says that
floor A is bigger since it has more
tiles or some students will say that
floor B is bigger since it has a bigger
tile.
Students will take one tile of each
floor and compare them.
Students may
realize that the

Tiling / structuring array

Students are able to compare

floors by the number of square
units cover them.
Students are able to use their
cut and paste strategy to tile the
parallelogram floor.

tile on floor
B is for time
as big as the
tile on floor A.
Students will easily tile rectangle
floors by putting some tiles on the
edges of the floors and use
multiplication strategy to count the
tiles as follows:

Guidance for teacher

Do not provide materials like
scissors or tools to cut.
Let students use their strategies
to compare the floors.
If they found that the floors has
the same size. Ask: What did you
do when you see them having the
same area?
If students count the tiles
How do you find the number of
tiles in each floor?
Make a discussion if there is an
answer that they judge the floor
based on the number of tiles.

The teacher prepares the material

such as straightedges if students
need them. The teacher will not
provide the tools to cut. The
teacher needs to ask students:
What do you do to cover the
floors?
When students have difficulties
in covering the parallelogram
41

Activity Lesson 4

Learning Goal

Conjectured of Students thinking

Guidance for teacher

floor, suggest: You may modify
the tiles.

Or they continue to tile the floor fully

by using a ruler and count the tiles.
Students will tile with possible
position of full tile unit and cut the
remaining parts then paste them to
the untilled parts. Students may

Determining area of
rectangular floors

Students are able to use

multiplication strategy.
Students understand how the
formula length x width or base
x height works.

reshape the floor into a rectangle and

then tile it. Students may do trial and
error.
Students will tile all the surface of
the floor and count one by one the
tiles. After students get the number of
the tiles (60 tiles), they will multiply
it by 625 cm2 since each tile has an
area of 625 cm2. Therefore, the area
of the floor is 37500 cm2.
Students will only tile the edges of
the floors and multiply the number of
tiles on the vertical edge with the

Ask:What do you do to cover the

floors?
Or suggest:
You may use pencil to draw your
tiles.
If students only draw or tile only
some parts on the edges of the
floor, ask:
Can you determine the number
of the tiles by tiling some parts?
43

Activity Lesson 4

Learning Goal

Conjectured of Students thinking

number of tiles in horizontal edge.
After students get the number of the
tiles, they will multiply it by 625 cm2
since each tile has an area of 625
cm2.
Students will only tile the edges of
the first floor and measure the length
of the vertical and the horizontal
edges. They will get the length of the
horizontal and vertical edges are 250
cm and 150 respectively. Therefore,
they will find the area of the floor is
37500 cm2. On the second floor, the
lengths of the horizontal and vertical
edges are 250 cm and 150 cm. Its
area is equal to the first floor.

Determining area of
rectangles by applying area
formula

Students are able to apply area

formula for rectangles.

Students will multiply the length of

the base and height of each rectangle
to get its area.

Guidance for teacher

Why?
When students cover all the
floors by tiles, ask them how
they count the number of the
tiles?
How do you count the number of
the tiles?
If they count one by one, ask
do you have a faster way to
count them?
What is the area of the floors?
How many centimeter squares?
Remind students of the standard
measurement units. Is the unit in
centimeter or centimeter
squares?
If the edges of the floor are
called base and height, what can
you conclude?
Tell students that they will
discuss their work after.
The teacher may ask how this
way works. How does it work?
Can you conclude what the area
formula of rectangles is?

Table 4.5.The overview of the activity and the hypothesis of the learning process in lesson 5
45

Activity Lesson 5
Learning Goal
Estimating an area of a covered The students are able to
floor.
determine the area of a
floor using the
multiplication strategy
and apply area of
formula to find the area
of a floor.

Comparing dotted rice fields

and comparing leaves

Conjectured of Students thinking

Students draw lines to trace the tile from
the visible lines of the tiles. Then they
will count the tiles one by one or by
using a multiplication strategy.

Students are able to

Students will connect the dots with a
estimate the area of the straightedge or a ruler. And estimate the
dotted rice field by
square units fit the rice fields.
using square units.
Students grasp the use
of grid paper to estimate
the area of irregular
shape and combine it
with the cut-paste

Guidance for teacher

The teacher just let students do with
the strategies they use. If they have
difficulties ask or suggest to use any
tool to help
Do you need something for help? A
ruler or straightedge maybe useful.
If students try to count one by one,
pose a question: Do you have a
faster way to count? Do you still
remember what you learned in
previous meeting?
If students use multiplication
strategy, ask the students how long
the length and the width of the floor
are? Can you use the formula that
you have in previous meeting?
Always remind students the
standard unit of measurement, is it
in cm or cm2?
If the students still count the dots,
suggest students to connect the dots
with a ruler. Let students solve the
problem, some assistance are
needed if students have difficulties
counting the square units. Do you
have another way to count the
square units. The teacher may
remind students of the reallotment
47

Activity Lesson 5

Learning Goal
strategy.

Conjectured of Students thinking

Guidance for teacher

activity, you may reshape it to make
it easier for you to estimate.

Students
will
make
their
own
grid
paper and put the leaves on it and count
the number of squares and compare
them

Table 4.5.The overview of the activity and the hypothesis of the learning process in lesson 6
Activity Lesson 5
Comparing area of sides of two
buildings with rectangular and
parallelogram shape

Learning Goal
Students are able to
determine the area of a
parallelogram by reshaping
and derive the area formula
from a rectangle.

Conjectured of Students thinking

Students will count the full square
units and combine the not fully
square units with other not fully
square units in order to get full
square units. Then students will
count the square unit one by one or
using multiplication strategy.
Students may reshape the figures
into a rectangle and count the
square units one by one or using
multiplication strategy.

Guidance for teacher

The teacher will show a building
with a parallelogram shape and ask :
What is the height of this building?
Can you determine how many
glasses to cover that side of
building?
The teacher distributes the
worksheet 12 to each group.
If students count one by one, ask:
Do you have a faster way to count
the square units?
Do you still remember the formula
to find an area of a rectangle?
49

Activity Lesson 5

Learning Goal

Conjectured of Students thinking

Determining areas of
parallelograms

Students are able to use the

formula of rectangle to find
the areas of parallelograms.

Students will reshape the

parallelograms into a rectangle and
apply the area formula of rectangle.
Students will use directly the area
formula of rectangle to find the
areas of parallelograms.

Guidance for teacher

If students have difficulties in
counting the number of square units
in the parallelogram, suggest student
to reshape into another figure.
Maybe, you can reshape it into
another figure.
After students find that the rectangle
and the parallelogram have the same
area. Ask:
If they have the same base, height,
do you think they have the same
area? Can you use the area formula
for rectangle?
After some minutes and students
have finished the 1st problem, the
teacher then asks to work on the
next problem. The teacher may
suggest,
Maybe, you can try to use the
formula and prove it by reshaping.
If students reshape the parallelogram
into a rectangle and use
multiplication strategy or area
formula for rectangle, the teacher
asks:
Can you say that the area formula of
a parallelogram is same with the
formula of rectangle? So, what is
51

Activity Lesson 5

Learning Goal

Conjectured of Students thinking

Determining areas of triangles

Students are able to derive

the area formula of triangle

Students may count one by one the

square units
Students may reshape the triangles
into a rectangle and apply area
formula of rectangle

Guidance for teacher

the general area formula of
parallelogram?
If students only use the formula, the
teacher may ask:
How can you use the area formula
of a rectangle? Why does it work?
Can you tell me the relation between
the rectangle and the
parallelogram? Can you generalize
the area formula of parallelogram?
The teacher asks students where
they can find a triangular shape. The
teacher reminds students about a
unique building, in previous
problem, a parallelogram building.
The teacher shows a picture of
building with triangular shape. The
students are asked whether they can
find the area of glasses to cover the
side of the building. Could you find
the area of glasses to cover the
building
If students count one by one and
have difficulties, ask:
Maybeyou reshape it into another
figure?
After student reshape the triangle
into a rectangle, and still count one
53

Activity Lesson 5

Learning Goal

Determining the areas of

shaded areas.

Students understand that

the area formula of triangle
is half of the are formula of
rectangle (1/2 x base x
height)

Conjectured of Students thinking

Guidance for teacher

by one the square units, ask:
Do you have a faster way to count
them? Do you still remember the
area formula of rectangle?
What is the formula now?
The students will count one by one If students count one by one the
the square units.
square unit, suggest them:
The students will use the formula of What do you think the area of the
parallelogram and rectangle and
shaded part? What is the
divide by two.
relationship with the parallelogram
and the rectangle?
If students use the formula of
parallelogram and rectangle, ask So,
what do you think the area of a
triangle?

Table 4.6.The overview of the activity and the hypothesis of the learning process in lesson 6
Activity Lesson 6
Determining areas of isosceles
trapezoid

Learning Goal
Students are able to use the
formula of rectangle to find
the areas of trapezoid.

Conjectured of Students thinking

Students may count one by one the
square units
Students will reshape the trapezoid
and use the area formula of
rectangle

Guidance for teacher

The teacher shows a picture of
building with trapezoid shape. The
students are asked whether they can
find the area of glasses to cover the
side of the building.
If students if students count one by
one and have difficulties, ask:
What did you do to the
parallelogram in previous meeting?
55

Activity Lesson 6

Learning Goal

Determining areas of trapezoids Students are able to use the

formula of triangle to find
the areas of trapezoid and
derive area formula of
trapezoid.

Conjectured of Students thinking

Students will add the area of the

triangles inside the trapezoid.
Students will simplify the sum area
formulas of triangles to derive the
area of trapezoid

Guidance for teacher

Can you do it to the trapezoid?
After student reshape the triangle
into a rectangle, and still count one
by one the square units, ask:
Do you have a faster way to count
them? Do you still remember the
area formula of rectangle?What is
the formula now?
See the base of your trapezoid and
the base of the rectangle What can
you conclude?
If students reshape the trapezoid and
use the area formula of a rectangle,
ask: How do you find the area? If
you use any formula, what is the
formula?
Ask also the height of the trapezoid,
what is the height of the trapezoid?
Ask students to see what figures
inside the trapezoid. How to
determine the area of the trapezoid
with the figures.
If students sum the area of the
triangles, ask: Is it allowed to do it?
Is the sum area equal to the area of
the trapezoid, why?
If students sum the area formula of
triangles, remind students with the
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Activity Lesson 6

Finding the area of a kite and a

rhombus

Learning Goal

Students are able to derive

the formula of kite and
rhombus by reshaping into
a rectangle

Conjectured of Students thinking

Students will reshape the kite and

the rhombus into a rectangle and
use the area formula of rectangle.

Guidance for teacher

distributive law of multiplication.
Ask: can you simplify the formula?
Ask students to relate the formula
with the parallel sides and the height
of the trapezoid.
When students get this formula :
1
A= ( a1 +a2 ) t
2
Ask: what is the a1 and a2 in the
trapezoid?
After students have reshaped the kite
and rhombus into a rectangle, ask
them to use the area formula of
rectangle. The teacher should ask:
What is the relation between the
lengths of the base and height of the
rectangle with the lengths of the
diagonals?
Can you conclude what the area
formula of kite and rhombus is?

References
59

Fosnot, C. T., &Dolk, M. (2001).Young mathematicians at work: constructing number sense, addition, and subtraction.Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann.
Gravemeijer, K. (2004). Creating opportunities for students to reinvent mathematics.In 10Th International Congress in Mathematics
Education (pp. 4-11).
Simon, M.A. (1995). Reconstructing mathematics pedagogy from a constructivist perspective. Journal for Research in Mathematics
Education, 26(2), 114-145.

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