IMSA Excellence 2000+ Curriculum

Seeing Math and Science in a New Light: Reflections and Symmetry is a unit that has been designed and written to help students develop certain enduring understandings related to the phenomena of reflection and symmetry. The following unit objectives characterize these enduring understandings. Through the activities of the lessons in this unit students will:

1. investigate properties of light and surfaces in order to identify underlying assumptions related to reflection.
2. formulate conclusions about the relationship between objects and their reflected images based upon information collected through the study of the behavior of light beams.
3. further develop the concepts of symmetry and balance as described through mathematical models.
4. apply the appropriate geometry and symmetry considerations to demonstrate their understanding of reflection.

One fundamental belief in science is that the universe is an orderly place. Mathematics offers us an orderly way of thinking. It is quite possible that this belief about the universe is derived from our innate drive to create order as a means of developing understanding. If we “look” carefully we can discover aspects of this order. Inquiry into the nature and behavior of light exemplifies our search for and discovery of orderly properties. Seeing Math and Science in a New Light: Reflections and Symmetry provides opportunities to explore and investigate two orderly phenomena, reflection and symmetry through investigations into the behavior of light and mathematical transformations.