I've been obsessively using the TI-nspire as a discovery tool in my classes these last 2 weeks. In geometry, we just started parallelograms, and I wanted them to explore the 5 properties of parallelograms, and it worked great.
One extra thing that I'm excited about is that I had them hold up their closed fists, and I asked them to put up a finger for every syllable of "parallelogram". Five! Ohhh! Five properties. So. Every time they discovered a new property on the calculator, I had them run through the list so far and tick off a new finger for the newly discovered property. We did this until we got through all 5 properties. Woot! Memory tool. Hopefully, they'll remember that there are 5 and parallelogram has 5 syllables, and they can recite all the properties:
1. parallel opposite sides
2. congruent opposite sides
3. congruent opposite angles
4. supplementary adjacent angles
5. diagonals bisect each other
I am also a high school math teacher and I am taking a technology class through Michigan State University. One of our tasks was to find a blog related to our subject area. I'm excited to find your blog! I love your idea for remembering the number of properties for a parallelogram - genius!
ReplyDeleteGreat! Have you been exposed to the TI-nspire yet? I JUST got back from a regional conference and learned a ton of new things.
ReplyDeleteI have not been exposed to the TI-nspire, but from what I see online and read on your post - it sounds very neat! I wish I was in a position to be able to experience the calculators with you and your students. Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the information and its good to have all the topics under one place and I am here to give the definition and properties of quadrilaterals as they are figures with four sides and four angles. There are many different types of quadrilaterals, which are classified by their sides and angles here are some examples-rectangle, parallelogram, trapezoid, rhombus, square and kite.
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