Why do we need Trigonometry?

Lesson Plan
Note: This days lesson is Part 1 of 2 of an overall lesson introducing students to trigonometric ratios.

Name: _Autumn Langner

Subject: __ Geometry

Grade: _______10th________
Date: ___________________

Think critically to problem-solve real life scenarios.

Lesson
Objectives

National/State
Standards

Materials/
Equipment

Understand the necessity for the development of trigonometry.

Know the meanings of opposite and adjacent sides of a right triangle.

AL COS 19)

Understand that by similarity, side ratios in right triangles are properties of the
angles in the triangle leading to the definitions of trigonometric ratios for
acute angles.
[G-SRT6]

Pencil and paper

Rulers
Triangle Sheets A-G see attachments
Calculating Ratios for Similar Triangles worksheet (one per group)

Key Vocabulary:
Right triangle, legs, hypotenuse, opposite, adjacent, theta, trigonometry
Starter: Problem Solving Task
Students will be in pre-assigned groups (of 3 or 4) for the whole class. There should be a maximum
of seven (7) groups.

Pre-Instructional
Activities

In each group there is a:

Task master member who organizes and leads group discussion, gathers materials, and
keeps group on task and monitors time
Think master - member who ensures that all group members understand the process, asks
questions of the teacher after all group members have been consulted, and returns any
materials
Recorder member who records all drawings and process that will be shared with the
class/teacher and ensure input from each group member
Reporter member who reads instructions, reports group findings and explain any
drawings/processes to class, and answers questions that the class may ask
Accommodations: Be selective in who you assign to think master and recorder. For those with
SLDs, reporter or task master might be the most appropriate roles
They will have the first 10 minutes of class to work on this starter:
You and your group are about to repel down the face of a mountain. This mountain drops straight
down after you go over the cliff. Your task is to find the height of the face. You do not have any
measuring instruments. You need to know how much rope to take. You cannot carry any extra
rope as you are at the start of a weekend exercise and cannot carry any extra weight with you.
Brainstorm as many ways to estimate the height of the rock face as you can think of. Each group
will share their ideas with the class.
Accommodation for students with SLD: Read the starter aloud to the class. Have key vocab listed
on the board and provide a vocabulary graphic organizer

After the starter, have each group share their ideas with the class. Write down each idea on the
board.
Group Work:
Each group selects three or four ideas from the board to test outside (e.g. on the tallest building, a
flag pole, tree, etc.) Allow only 15 minutes for this part of the lesson. As students are
experimenting, prod students to try their ideas from different distances/angles from their
reference point.
Class Discussion:
Talk with the class about their findings from their tests. Were their methods very accurate? How
do you know? What were their limitations? Did standing at different distances or from different
angles make them question their original estimate?
Teaching

Lead a discussion that introduces the word trigonometry into the students vocabulary. Ask the
students to draw a model of their outside experiment. They should draw where they stood in
relation to the building/tree/flag pole outside. What sort of angle is formed between the ground
and their point of reference? (90) What sort of shape was created when they added themselves
to the drawing? (a right triangle). Estimating like we did (with triangles) is what led very early
mathematicians to work with trigonometry, which comes from the Greek words meaning
triangle measuring.
Announce that the class will now uncover trigonometry as the early mathematicians did. Remind
the students that this discovery will start today and be completed in tomorrows lesson. Hand each
group a Ziploc baggie of triangles and a Calculating Ratios for Similar Triangles worksheet.
Each arc-labeled angle is the students point of reference on each triangle. Discuss the meaning of
opposite, adjacent, and review the hypotenuse. Also tell students, that their point of reference
angle can be called theta ()

Closure

To end the lesson, have the students measure each of their eight triangles. They should fill in the
first three columns of their Calculating Ratios for Similar Triangles worksheet. They should also
fill in their theta-value in the angle size box on the worksheet. The remainder of this activity will
be completed at the start of class tomorrow.
Homework: None

Student
Engagement
Techniques
Accommodations

Bibliography

Brainstorming
Red and green group cards (Students put up a green card if they are fine and following
along or a red card if they are lost or have a question)

Read directions aloud to all the students

Have students placed in groups to work together in strategically assigned groups to help
those who struggle with math reasoning skills

http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/secondary/mathematics/years7_10/teaching/trig.htm