Whenever I’m working on geometry with my students, I try to keep the focus as real-world as possible. So much of math operates in the abstract; geometry, by contrast, is thoroughly tangible. This is a time when we can easily
I use geometric drawing across the curriculum in several projects. Below is an in-progress shot of an 8th-grader’s design for a stained glass window, an assignment from my medieval history unit that incorporates symbolism along with geometric design. In world
The construction for a regular hexagon is a favorite of my students every year and the one most of them choose as a basis for their geometric design project. We are simply going to begin with a line and use
This simple, elegant construction yields a square simply by using the steps to bisect a segment. Begin by using your compass to draw a circle, making sure to mark its center. With your straight edge, draw the diameter of the
Today we’ll be bisecting an angle, i.e. cutting an angle in half without using a protractor to measure. Â Begin with any angle and draw an arc from the vertex (V) such that your arc crosses both rays of the angle.
Today we’ll be doing a very simple construction — bisecting a segment. Â In other words, we will be cutting a line segment in half. Â Begin by drawing matching circles from your two endpoints (A and B). Â The radius of the
Here’s a little activity to wrap up our geometry study for the week. Â Have your students consider the following drawing and try to identify as many polygons as they can. Â If they need a little guidance, here are some possibilities…
We can employ the two skills we’ve been working on this week — constructing congruent segments and constructing congruent angles — to create a copy of any polygon. Use a straight edge to draw any polygon. Â Here’s an irregular hexagon
Today we’ll be looking at another basic construction: congruent angles. Â You can use this construction to copy any angle without using a protractor to measure. Begin with the angle you would like to copy. Draw any ray. Â This will act
We’re working on geometric constructions in 6th and 7th grade this month, so I’m going to share with you some basic constructions, as well as related activities and example projects from my students. To begin with, we’ll simply draw a