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Roger Howe discussed using polyominoes with the students. I initially mentioned polyominoes in the content objectives section of this unit paper. Polyominoes are plane geometric figures formed by joining one or more equal squares edge to edge. My students will use pentominoes during this unit study. Pentominoes are types of polyominoes. There are twelve types of pentominoes. The pentomino is a geometric shape that is composed of five congruent squares, connected along their edges. Students will be required to problem solve using the pentomino manipulatives as they form arrays. This method encourages the students to use a combination of five manipulatives at a time and to then identify the dimensions of the enclosing rectangle(the rectangular object’s borders ). My students will explore the activities referenced in the content objectives section (identify the various combinations of the pentominoes, identify the dimensions of the pentomino, locating perimeter and area of the pentomino). Geometry is known as a pathway that leads to deductive reasoning and thought processes, so exploration with pentominoes will prove to be beneficial for students as this all works to aid the student in the way of mathematical intellectual training. Students will be required after fourth grade to begin to use geometry in more of a fixed, routine fashion. So while lessons are often implemented as a formality, it is evident that geometry has far reaching implications that appear to be beneficial for all students. My students will explore the various combinations of pentominoes (see figure B ).
The exploration of the pentominoes is an avenue towards the practice, as well as the enhancement of, their geometric thought and their geometric skills, and it also lends itself to setting the stage for more complex activities to come.
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