Teaching Instruction

Objective of site

The Triangle Geometry website has been designed as a learning resource to assist teachers in the teaching of the Trigonometry for Grade 9 Mathematics students. The website consists mainly of self-directed learning experiences through which students can work at their own pace and learn more about topics in their syllabus.

 

The website recognises:
 

  • Learners learn in different ways, in different settings and at different rates.
  • Learning requires active construction of meaning and is most effective when it is developed in meaningful contexts and accommodates, acknowledges and builds on prior knowledge.
  • Learning is enhanced by the use of a range of technologies.
  • Thinking and performance can be demonstrated in a variety of ways.

 

Core learning outcomes

The site incorporates the following aspects of the Essential Learning stated in the Queensland Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework.

  • Analyse situations to identify the key mathematical features conditions, strategies and procedures that may be relevant in the generation of a solution.
  • Plan and conduct activities and investigations, using valid strategies and procedures to solve problems.
  • Select and use mental and written computations, estimations, representations and technologies to generate solutions, and to check for reasonableness of the solution.
  • Use mathematical interpretations and conclusions to generalise reasoning and make inferences.
  • Evaluate their own thinking and reasoning, considering their application of mathematical ideas, the efficiency of their procedures and opportunities to transfer results into new learning.
  • Communicate thinking, and justify and evaluate reasoning and generalisations, using mathematical language, representations and technologies.
  • Reflect and identify the contribution of mathematics to their own and other people’s lives.
  • Reflect on learning, apply new understandings and justify future applications.

 

 

By using this website, teachers will be utilising and integrating the following topics into the QLD Grade 9 Mathematics curriculum.

 

 

  • The Theorem of Pythagoras.
  • Angles of a Triangle.
  • Naming the sides.
  • Tangent, Sine and Cosine ratios.
  • Constructions in geometry.

 

How you and your students use this site

Triangle Geometry is an interactive learning resource designed to be used over three weeks both as an in-class tool and an at-home independent discovery task. Each theory and/or example section contains an interactive feature that can be utilised in class to encourage student interaction. Once entering the site, your students will be put in the driver's seat for their journey of exploring the wonderful world of triangles. As they navigate their way through the site the students will work towards obtaining answers to the questions provided in each section. Most of the learning experiences are self-directed but, depending on year level some teacher direction may be necessary. Students are recommended to work online individually or in pairs. Additional links to more interactive tools relating to each topic can be found in the Resources page, allowing teachers to thoroughly explore topics and appeal to each student’s learning style.

 
As well as an outline of the theory underpinning the respective topics, each topic also has questions and activities, which contains an outline of an in-class exercise that aims to engage students in their learning and to solidify the concepts discussed within the theory and examples sections. These activities are ideal for use in class before moving on to the practise questions. The questions featured under each heading can either be utilised as in class activities, or as homework exercises.

The site also features a Modelling and Problem Solving (MAPS) menu containing difficult application questions from each theory discussed on the site. These questions require the students to problem solve and demonstrate higher order thinking. As such, they can either be used at the end of each topic, or as a final assessment item at the conclusion of the three topics in order to demonstrate the students’ abilities in each area. A marking criterion for each of these MAPS questions is also included on the site, ensuring that consistency is maintained across multiple uses of the resource. 

 

Incorporation of different learning styles
 

This site contains activities which cater for each of the following student learning styles, taking into consideration that most students falls into the category of a combination of several learning styles. The different activities that cater for these are listed below.

 

  • Visual: diagrams representation of the topic, interactive games, YouTube videos, Learning federation activities
  • Textual: word explanation of the topic, answering mini-polls
  • Auditory: YouTube videos with songs that explain the topic
  • Kinaesthetic: 'Activities' section that require hands-on experimenting and collaboration with peers, Learning Federation activities