Math Curriculum I Wish I Had When I started: Coordinate Planes

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I think the hardest math curriculum to create on your own is coordinate graphs. I remember laboriously drawing them on the board years ago. I also know that there are never enough practice problems for these type of problems. I’m talking about coordinate planes on which you have to name a point, draw a line, flip a figure etc. I’m pretty sure the reason is it so difficult is that you have to create a graph for EACH problem. You can’t just write some extra problems on the board, you have to print this type of thing on paper or go through rather expensive graph paper for each new problem. Graph paper that you probably bought yourself. Then if you were lucky enough to find small graphs to draw on, you had to DRAW on them. It is isn’t easy to draw on small graphs. And then add the numbers, and make sure your lines are straight. and, and, AND!

Unfortunately, these are exactly the types of problems which students need to practice more on. So I tried all the above. I even tried it on a computer. Now, I didn’t have to draw, but I DID have to make those graphs perfect. The first one I made took me over eight hours. But, OH MY GOSH! It was exactly what I had always dreamed of!!! 18 practice problems on a single piece of paper. When I tried it with my students, I could finally see who needed help, and who had mastered the skill. My first one was reflections of a point over an X or Y-axis. I realized that I could make these over and over with many different geometry skills. I eventually started selling them to other teachers because they preferred buying mine rather than making their own. I now sell them on Teachers pay Teachers, and am excited to continue to create them for my classes as well as for other teachers. Check my first one out at my store on TPT called Teaching With My Girl.

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