Lesson Planning Form for Accessible Instruction Calvin College Education Program

Teacher Katie Carbone

Date
11/17/14
Subject/ Topic/ Theme: Lesson 5- Using Similar Triangles
Grade 8th
I. Objectives
How does this lesson connect to the unit plan?
-In this Unit on Angles and Triangles: In this lesson, students will learn to apply what they have learned about ratios and proportions with similar shapes to similar
triangles. Students will be able to apply these skills to real-life situations and will create their own real-life math problems. This final lesson uses elements from
Lesson 1,2, 3, and 4 to allow students to synthesize what they have learned and apply it to solidify the material.
cognitiveR U Ap An E C*

Learners will be able to:

R, Ap, C

Recall and create similar triangles using proportions and ratios.

Identify similar triangles using ratios and proportions, and explain why these triangles are similar.
Identify similar triangles using the angle measure of the interior angles of a triangle.
Solve real-life application problems using similar triangles and create problems of their own.

physical
development

socioemotional

R, U, An
R, U, An
U, Ap,
An, C

Common Core standards (or GLCEs if not available in Common Core) addressed:
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.A.4: Understand that a two-dimensional figure is similar to another if the second can be obtained from the first by a sequence of
rotations, reflections, translations, and dilations; given two similar two-dimensional figures, describe a sequence that exhibits the similarity between them.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.A.5: Use informal arguments to establish facts about the angle sum and exterior angle of triangles, about the angles created when
parallel lines are cut by a transversal, and the angle-angle criterion for similarity of triangles.
(Note: Write as many as needed. Indicate taxonomy levels and connections to applicable national or state standards. If an objective applies to particular learners
write the name(s) of the learner(s) to whom it applies.)
*remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create

II. Before you start

Identify prerequisite
knowledge and skills.

-Students will need to use ratios and proportions to analyze and create similar triangles. Students will
need to be able to use rulers and protractors to create these triangles. Students will also need to use
methods to find the measure of interior angles.
Pre-assessment (for learning):

Use the homework as a guide, and also base achievement by the problems each student did on their
whiteboards during the previous lesson.
Formative (for learning):

Outline assessment
activities
(applicable to this lesson)

- At the beginning of the lesson, students will be challenged to recall what they have learned about
similar triangles in the past unit, using ratios and proportions, and apply that to similar triangles using
angles.
Formative (as learning):

-Students will solve problems on their individual whiteboards and show them to the teacher before
they can continue.
Summative (of learning):
- Homework will be assigned, and a test will be given at the end of this Unit.
What barriers might this
lesson present?
What will it take
neurodevelopmentally,
experientially,
emotionally, etc., for your
students to do this lesson?

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Provide Multiple Means of

Representation
Provide options for perceptionmaking information perceptible
- Students will have worksheets to
record what they are learning and
will be able to look for real-life
similar triangles.

Provide Multiple Means of Action

and Expression
Provide options for physical actionincrease options for interaction
- Students will be able to
collaborate with each other of
certain problems and use their
whiteboards to solve example
problems given in class.

Provide Multiple Means of

Engagement
Provide options for recruiting
interest- choice, relevance, value,
authenticity, minimize threats
- Students will be challenged to
apply what they have learned about
similar triangles to real-life
situations, such as creating similar
triangles using the height of a
person and a flag pole as the suns
rays create a shadow.

Provide options for language,

mathematical expressions, and
symbols- clarify & connect
language

- This lesson is building on

what the students have already
learned about similar triangles,
but is adding angle
measurement as a determining
factor of similar triangles. This
lesson will solidify what they
students already know, build
upon it, and show them how to
apply it.
Provide options for comprehensionactivate, apply & highlight

- Students will apply what they

have learned about similar
triangles to real-life situations.

Materials-what materials
(books, handouts, etc) do
you need for this lesson
and are they ready to
use?

How will your classroom

be set up for this lesson?

Provide options for expression and

communication- increase medium
of expression

- Students can express their

work through collaboration with
a partner, answering questions,
working through problems on
their whiteboards, and filling
out their worksheets.

Provide options for sustaining effort

and persistence- optimize
challenge, collaboration, masteryoriented feedback

- The teacher will be able to

gage what the students have
learned, especially in having the
students doing practice
problems on their whiteboards
that the teacher can check. In
checking these problems, the
teacher can encourage the
students in their efforts and
challenge them to keep working
hard. Positive feedback, yet also
positive correction.

Provide options for executive

functions- coordinate short & long
term goals, monitor progress, and
modify strategies

Provide options for self-regulationexpectations, personal skills and

strategies, self-assessment &
reflection

-The teacher can monitor

progress by observing how
students work together, and how
each student does their work on
their whiteboards and
worksheets.

- Students can assess what they

have learned by solving for
problems on their whiteboards
and using their teachers
feedback to fix a problem or
move forward.

For the students:

- a protractor, ruler, a whiteboard, dry erase marker, eraser, and a transparency sheet
For the teacher:
- Have 10 copies of worksheet printed that students can start in class and finish for homework.
- Make sure all the students have access to protractors and rulers.
- Teachers edition of the math book to pull out examples.
-The 2-person lab tables will be set up in a U-shape, with all students facing the front/center of the
classroom. The students will need to face the Smart board as I will be using the doc cam and Smart
board.

III. The Plan

Time

Components

1 min

Motivation
(opening/
introduction/
engagement)

2-3
min

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Describe teacher activities

AND
student activities
for each component of the lesson. Include important higher order thinking questions and/or
prompts.
-Have students get:
-Students will collect the supplies they need.
Protractor
Ruler
Whiteboard
Marker
Eraser
Transparency sheet
- Students will collaborate with their table mates
-How can we create similar triangles?
and hypothesize how they can create similar
Have students hypothesize how they can
triangles using a ruler and protractor.
create similar triangles using a ruler and
protractor.
-Students will recall what they have learned about
proportions and ratios to determine similar
Would ratios be helpful? What about
triangles.
proportions?
How could we use a protractor, ruler,
ratios, and proportions to create similar

triangles? Allow students to think and

respond.
Development
(the largest
component or
main body of
the lesson)
5 min

10-15
min

2 min

7-8
min

7-8
min

10
min

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-Constructing Similar Triangles. Walk students

through the following problem, asking them
questions throughout the process.
Draw a 4 cm line segment on the small
whiteboard, which will be projected on the
doc cam. Have students create a triangle
from this line adding a 60 and 40 degree
angle. (Draw on the board as the students
process).
Now, have the students measure each of
the sides and write their length on their
own whiteboards.
How can we make a triangle that is twice
as large? What about half as large?
o have the students work in pairs to
figure out the ratios and
proportions to create a similar
triangle, then help instruct the
students to create this new
triangle using their rulers,
protractors, and whiteboards.
Give the students 1 more examples of this,
using angle measures 50 and 60, with an
original base length of 5 cm.

-Students will think of how they can use their tools

and what they have learned to create and determine
similar triangles.

- Students will follow these steps as the teacher

goes through them, but the students will need to
walk the teacher through the physical process of
creating this triangle as they create it on their own
whiteboards.

-Students will recall dilations and how they can

scale a triangle using proportions and ratios.

-Students will work through these examples on

their whiteboards, and they will volunteer to walk
the teacher and the class through a problem.

-How can we identify similar triangles? What

characteristics of a triangle make similar
triangles?
Give students a chance to think and
answer.
When two angles in one triangle are
congruent to two angles in another
triangle, then the third angle in each of
these triangles is congruent, and therefore
these triangles are said to be congruent.
Give students examples to determine
whether or not two triangles are similar
based on their angle measurements.

-Student will remember what they have learned

about similar triangles, but will try to think how
they can determine if 2 triangles are similar using
their angle measures.

-How can we apply similar triangles to our

everyday lives?
Present students with the flag pole
example on pg 127 in the teachers
edition.
Allow students to work through this
problem on their own first, then consult
with their table mate, then hold up their
whiteboard to present their answer.

-Students will try to think of where they have seen

real-life examples of similar triangles. They will
then work through the word problems on their
whiteboards that the teacher gives.

-Hand out worksheet (attached to this lesson) that

students can begin working on in class and will
finish for homework. The teacher should be
walking around asking the students questions to

-Students will determine in the 2 triangles in each

example are similar based on the measure of their
interior angles.

-Students will begin working on their worksheets,

asking any questions as they arise. They will finish
the worksheet for homework if it is not finished.

help get them on the right track and to encourage

them.

Closure
(conclusion,
culmination,
wrap-up)

-Ask students what they learned about similar

triangles today and how they can apply them to
things in their lives.

-Students will volunteer to describe what they

learned about similar triangles and how they can
apply them to real-life situations.

-Remind students they need to finish their

worksheets for homework.

-Students will put away their extra materials

gathered at the beginning of class.

Your reflection about the lesson, including evidence(s) of student learning and engagement, as well as ideas for improvement
for next time. (Write this after teaching the lesson, if you had a chance to teach it. If you did not teach this lesson, focus on the
process of preparing the lesson.)
I was not able to teach this lesson, but it would have served as good closure for this Unit on Angles and Triangles. In this
lesson, students would be able to apply what they had learned in the previous 4 lessons to real-life math problems. In
planning this lesson, I wanted to relate these real-life problems to what the students had just learned, so I allowed space for
students to explore word problems and create their own. I did not plan a lot of activities for this lesson, as I was hoping it
would serve as review of the previous lessons and extra practice and applications of the material covered in this unit. I would
be able to gauge what my students grasped by observing students creating word problems and solving their peers word
problems. Overall, this lesson would be a good conclusion for this unit and would challenge students to apply what they
know.

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