Year 6 struggling with geometry

[Elmersnewfriend]

Hi,
DS1 is just finishing year 6. He's doing fine overall, but his maths teacher has said he really struggles with geometry and in particular rotating / translating shapes. I was wondering if anyone here has recommendations of any books or puzzles etc that we could do with him over the holiday in order to practice this? His teacher says that she doesn't think he's even able to see that when he's reflected or translated a shape that it's wrong IYSWIM, so any tips in terms of helping him with that too would be gratefully received!

Can he start with physical objects, then pictures before moving onto shapes? Would need a mirror to reflect.

Hope it might help!

www.khanacademy.org/math/basic-geo/basic-geo-transformations-congruence

www.mathplayground.com/TransformationWorkshop/index.html

www.geogebra.org/m/hMNc4eES

uk.ixl.com/math/year-6/reflection-rotation-and-translation

Dragonbox Elements (app) is a very playful 'puzzle' type approach to geometry. It doesn't cover rotation/translation at all but gives a great intuitive understanding for the basics and might be a way to build up your DS' confidence whilst ensuring he has a good grip on the basics (in a fun, entertaining way) before grappling with rotation and translation in particular.

They do use tracing paper don't they?

With DD1 I found that putting a pencil in each hand and from the reflection line moving both hands out in opposite directions counting squares helped. We also used lego on a board with a line of string to act as the reflection line to start with. She needed to be explicitly taught strategies that others naturally used. (She also couldn't make posters by sticking things on, everything was wonky as she couldn't 'see' parallel lines. Turns out she has dyspraxia.)

This one is really good too.

mathigon.org/course/transformations-and-symmetry/introduction

Thank you, I've downloaded the DragonBox app and will go through the links later. It's interesting you've said about dyspraxia Teen as having read a few things I'm now wondering if that's what his teacher may have been gently suggesting. I will look into it a bit more!

Thanks again all.