Gizmos in Preparation for Pythagorean Theorem Day
August 15th, 2017
Accessing the Gizmo Site
· Go to www.explorelearning.com
· In the upper right of the screen, select Login and use your credentials to log in to your account.
· Once logged in - find the icon at the top of the screen that looks like a MAGNIFYING GLASS. Click on FIND GIZMOS.
· Type PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM in the Search Bar and hit Enter. You will have several options for lessons involving the Pythagorean Theorem. Strategies and ideas to implement 3 of these Gizmos are below. Choose the appropriate Gizmo for your students.
· Once a Gizmo is chosen, the pre-launch page will come up on your browser. From this page you can scroll down to preview the lesson materials, including Teacher Guide, Student Exploration Sheet, Vocabulary Sheet and the Exploration Sheet Answer Key.
· Scroll back up and LAUNCH the GIZMO! You can do this by either clicking the PURPLE LAUNCH GIZMO Button or simply float your cursor over the picture of the Gizmo and CLICK!
Activity Ideas for Pythagorean Theorem Day
Idea One – Pythagorean Theorem Gizmo
This Gizmo offers a basic introduction to the concept of PT for students to explore or review. Great for whole group discussion of this math theorem.
1. Use the Prior Knowledge questions from the Gizmo to open the lesson. (hands on, found in the Student Exploration Sheet)
2. Launch the Gizmo and ensure Show Values is selected on the PYTHAGOREAN tab.
3. With student input, create multiple triangles.
- Are all of the triangles right triangles? Explain.
- Where is the longest side of the triangle in relation to the right angle?
- Click on Show Labels. Discuss the names of the sides of a right triangle.
4. In the Gizmo, create a right triangle with side lengths 9, 12, and 15. With Show squared side lengths and Show values still turned on, select Show squares.
- What are the areas of the three squares shown? Does this satisfy the Pythagorean Theorem?
- Do 8, 10, and 12 form a Pythagorean triple? Explain.
5. Use the Student Exploration Sheet, Activity C, for application problems.
The Teacher Guide has discussion questions and additional links to Pythagorean Theorem videos.
Idea Two – Pythagorean Theorem with a Geoboard Gizmo
This Gizmo offers an introduction to the concept of PT for students to explore or review while using a virtual manipulative. Great for whole group or small group discussion of this math theorem.
1. Use the Gizmo to ensure students can find the area of a square on the geoboard. Create a square with side lengths of 4 and have students count the squares and calculate the area to reinforce concept. (Show functions of Gizmos as well using box features)
2. Clear the Gizmo and ensure Show Side Lengths and Show Right Angles are selected. Then select Build 3, 4, 5.
3. Use the other 3 dots to build squares on each side of the triangle (visual below).
- What is the area of the square on the side that is 3 units long? 4 units long?
- What is the area of the square on the side of the hypotenuse?
- Compare the sum of the areas of the squares on the legs to the area of the square
on the hypotenuse. What do you notice? Express the relationship in an equation.
4. Complete the same process by using Build 5, 12, 13.
- Does this scenario satisfy the Pythagorean Theorem? Use the screenshot feature to justify your answer.
5. Use the Gizmo to discover and justify another right triangle in which all sides are whole numbers.
The Teacher Guide has discussion questions and additional links to Pythagorean Theorem videos.
Image for #3:
Idea Three – Distance for Gizmo
This Gizmo offers the opportunity to apply the concept of PT with the distance formula. Great for an extension of this math theorem.
Use the Distance Formula Gizmo to verify and justify answers to the application problems found here.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GIZMOS, CONTACT:
Norma Miller, Account Executive
770.891 5400 (Mobile)
Nikki Polite, Implementation Coordinator
404.368.0430