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
Bisect a Segment
Identify Geometric Shapes
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…
Copy Any Polygon
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
Construct Congruent Angles
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
Construct Congruent Segments
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
Geometric Drawing
This week, the big kids are working on their geometric constructions, mathematical drawings achieved with the use of only a compass and an unmarked straight edge. This is one of my favorite units to teach. Â Mathematics in general is an
Hands-On History: Currency Inflation
If you’re teaching your kids about finances and not talking about inflation, debasement, and fiat currencies, you’re really missing out on a golden opportunity. See what I did there? For a hands-on exploration, get two quarters: one dated before 1965
Econ for Everybody
Among the most sorely neglected subjects in public education, economics is a fascinating and practical discipline. Our understanding of econ has enormous ramifications for how we view the world, how we vote, and of course, how we manage our own
Rise over Run Away!
Need to teach your big kid slope-intercept form but don’t really feel like explaining it? Â Break out the ol’ TI 86 — or use the amazing free Desmos graphing calculator — and let her figure it out herself. Given the
Dice Challenge
Looking for a new game for your middle kids? Â Make a dice tower. Â They are allowed to walk around it but not to touch it. Â The goal: Find the sum of all the faces that cannot be seen. This begins