Classifying Quadrilaterals

Subject: Math

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Corresponding Common Core State Standard: 
CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.1 Understand that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals). Recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these subcategories. 

Reason for choosing this video:

This video can be an extremely useful resource for teachers who want to review the major characteristics of various different quadrilaterals, including: trapezoids, parallelograms, rectangles, rhombuses, and squares. Not only does the video review the major characteristics that distinguish each of the aforementioned quadrilaterals, the video also incorporates related math vocabulary such as “vertices” and “angles.” Although quadrilaterals could be taught without this video, this video enhances the learning experience because it visually demonstrates how different quadrilaterals are related to each other by classifying them into different groups and subcategories. For example, the video starts off by describing the characteristics of two major groups of quadrilaterals, concave quadrilaterals and convex quadrilaterals. Then the video focuses on describing the different characteristics of various convex quadrilaterals, including: trapezoids, parallelograms, rectangles, rhombuses, and squares. Afterwards the video shows how different convex quadrilaterals are interrelated with one another. For example, the video points out that while all rectangles are parallelograms, not all parallelograms are necessarily rectangles. 

Teachers could potentially play the video and pause at certain sections in order to help students create a set of notes or a chart describing the characteristics of the different quadrilaterals discussed within the video. Engaging in the aforementioned activity would be especially beneficial for students having a hard time distinguishing the various different quadrilaterals. In addition, the aforementioned activity would be much more efficient and less time consuming than sending students on their own to create their own set of notes or charts from information obtained from textbooks. Overall this video serves as a great review of the general characteristics of some the most commonly used and referred to quadrilaterals.