When it’s time for students to learn about translations in geometry, they’ll do some practice problems -- repetitions to practice their new skills. But they’ll also create stories with their math. I have found that incorporating elements of storytelling gives learning math a whole new dimension.

Teaching transformation in math with storytelling

Take this one lesson where using story elements might surprise you: transformation. Students learn how to rotate, reflect and translate objects on an X/Y axis. I knew this material could be a drag to some students, especially those who were more inclined to writing and their English classes. I wanted to give those students something they’d love about my class.

Transformation comics

Students invented superhero characters and planned stories with characters, conflict and resolution. They plotted their characters on a coordinate plane. Each transformation they did -- a rotation, a reflection, a translation -- illustrated an event in the story. 

The students loved creating and sharing their stories. But they also got lots of repetitions, a key to mastering transformations. It was good practice but in a fun way and in a way that they will remember.

Choose your own adventure in math class

In my algebra classes, I brought back a classic that I loved as a child: choose your own adventure stories. In these books, the reader chose which actions the characters would take and, in the end, led the characters to different endings. I read about the idea in my Matt's first book, Ditch That Textbook, and applied it to math class.