Slides, Turns, and Flips
Background Information & Activities

© 1999-2012 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

This movie will explore shapes and how to move them through slides, turns, and flips. In geometry, these movements are known as transformations. We highly recommend that children use pattern blocks and draw pictures to help reinforce the ideas in the movie.

Review with children that a slide is when a shape moves in one direction from one place to another. It may be helpful for some children to visualize a baseball player sliding into home. The player begins on third base and slides into home base. The player moves in one direction from one place to another. Slide a shape in order to demonstrate the concept and have children slide their own shapes. How many different directions can you slide a shape? Remind children that shapes can be slid to the left, right, up, and down. They can even slide diagonally.

A turn is when a shape moves around so that it points in a different direction. Show a clock and demonstrate how the hands rotate around and point to different numbers. You may wish to use an arrow and turn it to show how a shape "points" in a different direction as it turns. Have children turn a pattern block by placing one finger on a corner. That's the corner that will stay put. Then have them place another finger on the shape and turn it around the corner. Explain that during a turn, one spot of the shape stays in the same place. Have them practice turning other shapes to the left and to the right.

A flip is when a shape is turned over so it faces the opposite direction. Flip an arrow to demonstrate the concept. If you start with the arrow pointing to the left and flip it, the arrow will point in the opposite direction, to the right. Together, flip shapes to the left and to the right. Remind children that they can also flip a shape up or down. You may want to draw a shape and put it in front of a mirror to show the flipped image. Some children may know that we sometimes call a flip a reflection.

Provide children with plenty of opportunities to slide, flip, and turn shapes. Then challenge them to combine the moves, such as flipping and turning or sliding and turning. You may want children to trace their shapes before and after the manipulations. Encourage them to explore on their own!

See more lesson plans and resources: BrainPOP Educators.

Slides, Turns, and Flips Teacher Activities

© 1999-2012 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Flip it!

Practice making flipped shapes together. Provide partners with paint and construction paper. Have students fold the paper in half and paint a shape one side. Close the paper on the fold line and press down. When you open the paper, you should see a flipped image on the other half of the paper. Encourage students to draw different shapes and observe the results. Also try having one partner paint a shape on half a piece of paper, and have the other partner use a pencil to draw the flipped shape on the other half. Partners can check their answers by folding the paper in half and seeing if the painted image and the drawn image match up.

Leave a Trace

Divide the class into small groups and give students pattern blocks or alphabet magnets. Have each child select a shape or letter and trace it on a piece of paper. Then have children trace a slide, turn, and flip for their objects and label each one . Have group members compare their drawings. Then have one student from each group choose an object and ask the other group members to draw a corresponding slide, turn, or flip. Afterward, the first student can move the object and trace it to show the correct answer and check the group’s work. Encourage students to help each other and discuss their choices.

Slides, Turns, and Flips Family Activities

© 1999-2012 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Slide, Turn, or Flip?

Use pattern blocks or cut out two identical shapes from construction paper. Put both shapes down on a table, in the same orientation. Then have your child close his or her eyes while you manipulate one of the shapes with a slide, turn, or flip. Have your child open his or her eyes and figure out how you changed the shape. See if your child can manipulate the other shape to match.

"Simon Says"

Give your child a small non-symmetrical toy or object and play "Simon Says" together. Call out slides, turns, and flips, while your child holds the object and follows the instructions. Make sure to pause and check your child's work. Then have your child call out the directions and watch your movements with the toy.