Week 19: The End of the Year

It seems like everyone was able to finish the final exam, and I'll be sure to have them graded at the end of next week. But now I want you to take a sigh of relief, because you are done for the school year! This is the last blog post I'll be putting up this year, and what I have here for you is a list of some of the sites I mentioned in this blog that can be potentially useful to you in other classes.

• flash card maker
• grade tracker
• brain storming tool

Now is the time to enjoy a relaxing summer

I had a fun time this year teaching you all Geometry, and I wish you the best of luck in your future classes!

Week 18: Final Exam Review

I'm sure most of you are aware the final exam is less than a week away. We have been able to touch on everything that will be on the final while in class, and so this post will be a reference guide for those looking to do some last minute studying.

If there is any certain topic that you are struggling with, then I encourage you to use this flash card program to make a collection of flash cards in order to thoroughly review and practice the difficult material.

Also, here is a quick online reference to many different geometric topics. It is a very reliable source that can answer many simple questions you might have while studying. Keep in mind that the only material that will be on the final exam will exclusively be what I taught in class throughout the year.

For this week's assignment, I'll let it be simple so you can reserve more time for studying.

All you need to do is explain why the extra space exists after changing around the smaller shape.

This week's goal:

• Prepare for the final exam.
• Solve a puzzle using geometric logic.

Due dates:

• Turn in your answer to the puzzle on the day of the final.

Week 17: Using Geometry Outside of Class - Part II

This week closes our topic of discovering Geometry outside of the classroom, and everything afterwards will be preparation for the final exam. As for this week, we got a chance to look closer at the geometric patterns found in both the natural world and the modern world. Take a look at the pictures in this link for many examples of geometric patterns found in nature. For this week's assignment, I want you to be creative. Draw an object using as many geometric properties as possible, but it must be able to be used in our modern world. Make sure to use at least two different geometric properties, and explain what they are under the drawing.

Here is an example of modern housing that utilizes simple polygons in order to

give an appealing atmosphere and appropriate natural lighting.

If you get stuck thinking of ideas, then feel free to browse through this cool stuff. Your ideas do not have to be invented on your own, but provide a source if you are drawing someone else's objects.

This week's goal:

• Further understand how Geometry is used, and how geometric patterns are developed.

Due dates:

• The two drawings and explanations will be due the day of the final exam.

Week 16: Using Geometry Outside of Class - Part I

All this week we have been covering ways Geometry has been used in everyday life, and even in other styles of mathematics. I understand that some of these styles of math are going to be in future classes, but if you are able to get a taste in the here and now, it should prepare you for what lies ahead. This week's assignment will challenge your ability to think using what I've taught you in Geometry, and show you that it is possible to use  outside of class. Feel free to read through this article that outlines the details behind the development and understanding of Geometry.

The assignment is simple. Find three school subjects that are not in the same field of study (eg: you cannot have two or all three of your examples be science courses), and find a way in which Geometry either is used or has helped develop the subject (for example, check out MC Escher's work to see many examples of how Geometry can be used in art). Write down what you found in each subject, and explain how Geometry was used. I'm not looking for lengthy findings, so whatever you feel is adequate for explaining your findings will work for me.

This here is one of my favorite examples of Geometric patterns found in art.

In order for you to take some time to appreciate and enjoy this assignment, it will not be due until the day of the final exam. And as always, if there any questions then feel free to ask me or a student!

This week's goal:

• Discover ways Geometry is used in various parts of life.

Due dates:

• The three explanations are due the day of the final exam.

Week 15: Advanced Constructions Part II

Congratulations, you have finally made it through constructions! I know we have been covering this for almost a month's time, so next week we will be diving into a whole separate topic, which I will leave to be a surprise. As for this week, it was basically a continuation of what we have been digging into with constructions. Go ahead and take a look at Advanced Constructions Part I as well as Basic Constructions, so you can be prepared to tackle this week's assignment.

This assignment is very similar to what we did last week, but a bit more challenging. I want you to construct these two images:

                       Hexagon Inscribed in Circle                              Five Point Star

 

If you want a hint, take a look at the properties of hexagons and pentagons. If you need any further help, then come talk to me in class.

This week's goal:

• Test our understanding of constructions
• Refresh properties of hexagons and pentagons

Due dates:

• Both drawings are due next Friday. We will also be having our last test on Friday.

Week 14: Advanced Constructions Part I

I hope you were able to get enough practice in this week, because this will be a fun and challenging assignment! We were able to continue learning new construction techniques, and so we get to put what you learned to the test. In case you need a refresher, check out this youtube video that covers the basic elements of constructions.

So, for this week's assignment, all you have to do is construct these images:

             Equilateral Triangle Inscribed in a Circle                          Square

  

Feel free to look through these construction clips to get some ideas on how to solve these problems. If you need a hint or have a question, then you are more than welcome to ask!

This week's goal:

• Use the skills we've learned in order to create more complex constructions.

Due dates:

• Have the two drawings in to me by next Friday. Please staple them together before turning in!

Week 13: Basic Constructions

Welcome back to our weekly routine! I hope you were all able to enjoy your break from school, and get a chance to relax. To refresh your memories, the last blog post was assigned in order to prepare you for what we started covering this week: basic constructions. It is very important everyone has a firm grasp on the basic skills of construction, so for this week's assignment we will be practicing these skills.

In order to earn credit, you must give at least two separate diagrams for each of these techniques:

• line bisector
• angle bisector
• 30 degree angle
• 45 degree angle
• 60 degree angle
• congruent angles

Also, for me to believe you used the methods we covered,

leave your tick marks as shown in this awesome example:

Remember...practice makes perfect! And as always, feel free to throw any questions my way.

This week's goal:

• Develop construction skills to be used in future lessons.

Due dates:

• Turn in the drawings next Friday. Make sure they are all stapled together this time!

Week 12: After Midterms

Most of you did really well on the midterm. As I explained at the beginning of the year, the final exam will be cumulative. In class we were able to review the midterm questions, and walked through a couple of problems that were frequently missed. If you are unsure of how you are doing thus far in my class, then take a look into using this grade tracker to measure how you have been progressing. Sites like this will be useful in future classes, as some teachers will not keep you updated on your grade status.

For this week's assignment, I want to connect some concepts we've learned in order to prepare you for our next week of class. As I briefly explained in class, transformations can be used to create a congruent shape from a preexisting shape. Use these basic ideas of transformation in order to create (or construct) a congruent figure. Feel free to use any non-regular polygon as your initial shape.

This is a reflection of a non-regular pentagonal polygon.

Try to come up with at least eight other examples that will produce a congruent shape.

This week's goal:

• Practice creating congruent figures.
• Problem solve in order to figure out how to produce a congruent figure.

Due dates:

• Eight examples of polygons with congruent transformations will be due the week we come back from break.