Math Play - Classifying Triangles
Curator: Jessica Johnson
Name & Link to Tech Tool or Tool homepage: http://www.math-play.com/classifying-triangles/classifying-triangles.html
Brief Description of Tech Tool: This tech tool allows students to practice classifying triangles by angles, as acute, right or obtuse. Students drag and drop the different triangles into the correct basket. The game lasts two minutes and awards students with 10 points for each correct classification and deducts 10 points of each mistake.
Technical & Cost considerations: This is a free website, that will run on both Windows and Apple operating systems. It could be used on a SmartBoard for demonstration purpose, but would not be an ideal way of using this tech tool.
Evaluation
Description of Learning Activity:
This game, Classifying Triangles, would be most beneficial for students to play individually after being taught how to classify triangles based on their angles. This fast pace game works great as a quick practice activity that students would enjoy, it could also be used as a formative assessment. Since it is only a two minute game, it could be a supplement activity to other geometry tech tools you are using in the computer lab.
1. Learning Activity Type
- LA-Practice - practicing for fluency, this tech tool allows students to practice classifying triangles based on angles.
- LA-Assess- this tech tool could be used as a quick formative assessment to see how well students understand how to classify triangles as acute, right or obtuse.
2. What mathematics is being learned?
The intent here is to describe the mathematics being learned and how it fits with your learning goals. Do this first by listing standards and proficiency strands and then with any additional discussion of what is being learned.
NCTM Standards: NCTM-Geo-analyze - analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships.
Proficiency Strands
- PS-conceptual understanding: This tech tool shows how well students understand how to classify triangles based on their angles.
- PS-procedural fluency: This tech tool shows if students can accurately and efficiently classify triangles based on their angles.
3. How is the mathematics represented?
This tech tool is visual by having students analyze triangles to accurately name them based on their angles. However, students can not manipulate the symbols because it is a fast pace game. This representation allows students to check their understanding of how angles allow one to classify triangles as acute, right or obtuse.
4. What role does technology play?
The advantage of technology in this tech tool is that it engages students in their learning and practice of classifying triangles. This tech tool is set up as a game, with a timer and score, so students enjoy practice this geometry skill. However, it is not useful as an instructional tool, which is its major disadvantage. If students are not familiar with how to use angles to classify triangles then this tech tool would not be helpful.
Affordances of Technology for Supporting Learning
- Computing & Automating -
- Representing Ideas & Thinking- This tech tool allows students to visual their learning of how to classify triangles based on their angles.
- Accessing Information -
- Communicating & Collaborating -
- Capturing & Creating -
5. How does the technology fit or interact with the social context of learning?
This tech tool would be best for individual use in the computer lab or if you have access to a lap top cart. It is a fast paced game so does not need a lot of time allotted for its practice.
6. What do teachers and learners need to know?
This tech tool is very easy to use and just requires students to be able to drag and drop each triangle into the accurate classification basket. The instructions simply state, "Drag each triangle in the correct basket before time runs out!"