Teaching+Strategies

**Need Some Help?** We have combined some helpful tips, to make your life easier!

4 Phase Lesson Plan
We support the 4 Phase Lesson Plan in general) (Below are examples of each Phase as they pertain to The Pythagorean Theorem)

**Phase 1. Problem Posing** In this phase, you could show a picture of a right triangle and ask various questions, including, "what information //must// we have in order to know all the side lengths?" **Phase 2. Small Group Investigation** Students could work in pairs and investigate the theorem, to try and prove for themselves that it is true or untrue. They could use manipulatives (like 3 squares) to work with the theorem. **Phase 3. Whole-Class Discussion of Investigation** Students can suggest their remaining questions with the whole class (after spending much time investigating), so that the other students have the opportunity to help. If no one knows, the teacher can suggest important tips and information to lead the class in the right direction. **Phase 4. Summarizing and Extending** You could lead into the next day's lesson by having students complete a homework problem that gives the lengths of //a// and //c,// but not //b.// This will challenge the students since most will struggle with this new take on the material.

Read Alouds
We also support Read-Alouds in the classroom in order to capture students' attention and to foster interest in the topic at hand. There are many great options for Read-Alouds that center around the topic of the Pythagorean Theorem. //The Great Number Rumble// and //I Spy Shapes in Art// are incredible Read-Aloud option that apply math to real life experiences (not just for The Pythagorean Theorem!). //Euclid and Geometry// tells the history of the Pythagorean Theorem and how it came to be. All of these books would be great examples of hooks that a teacher could use at the beginning of the lesson to grab their students' interest and catalyze learning.

Telling the History
<span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">//Euclid and Geometry// tells the history of the Pythagorean Theorem and how it came to be. All of these books would be great examples of hooks that a teacher could use at the beginning of the lesson to grab their students' interest and catalyze learning. The history also informs the student about the applicability of this theorem and how it relates to real world experiences.


 * <span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The references to these teacher resources can be found here.

<span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Discussion
<span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%; line-height: 23px; overflow: hidden;">Discussion should play a large role in any lesson plan. It catalyzes comprehension of the subject, and promotes a safe classroom environment. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics encourages teachers to point out relationships to their students through discussion of the Pythagorean Theorem. Relationships are a vital component in any mathematical concept; therefore, teachers must ensure that their students can not only do the algorithm but also explain why this idea is significant and what affect it has an other areas of math.

<span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Here are some example questions that the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics recommends during a discussion:

<span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">1. What conclusion can you make on the basis of your work with right triangles (National Council of Teachers, 2002, p.29)?

<span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">2. How do the various tasks you have undertaken support the Pythagorean Theorem (National Council of Teachers, 2002, p.29)?


 * <span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">These questions were taken directly from //Navigating Through Geometry in Grades 6-8//

<span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">

Some helpful locations:

 * <span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">All of our resources used on this page can be found here.


 * <span style="color: #137272; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Want to go back to home?