- Definition
A transformation is when something changes its look, how it works, or what it's like.
Sliding a triangle two spaces to the right on a grid is a transformation called a translation.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A transformation is like moving a Lego block on the floor — you can slide it, turn it, or flip it over, but the block itself doesn't change.
Ask your child: How can you move this toy without changing its shape or size?
Common mix-up: Kids may think a transformation changes the shape itself, like making it bigger or smaller. A geometric transformation only changes a shape's position or orientation, not its size or form.
Examples
- Flipping a shape over a line to create a mirror image is a reflection.
- Turning a shape around a fixed point is a rotation.
transformation is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 3 The Arts
- Grade 6 The Arts
- Grade 8 The Arts
- Grade 4 Mathematics
- Grade 5 Mathematics
- Grade 6 Mathematics
- Grade 7 Mathematics
- Grade 8 Mathematics
+2 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
