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GRADE 12 Trigonometry Activity Plan

PART 1: PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Students will have prior knowledge and skills from Algebra and Geometry, such as order of operations with integers, fractions, and exponents. They have also learned to simplify exponents, radicals, and to solve equations including linear, absolute value, quadratic and radical. Students would also know how to graph functions and its transformations such as vertical and horizontal shifts. Moreover, grade 11 pre-calculus involves proofs, which would prepare them when proving trigonometric identities. Outside of the curriculum, trigonometry is used everywhere, though our students may not be aware of it. Trigonometry is all about angles. Trigonometry is used in architecture, surveying, building, bricklaying, landscape design et cetera. It is an essential part of any kind of engineering. Knowing trigonometry can even help you to save money when painting a house you can figure out how much paint to buy when you know how to calculate surface areas with angles.

Kim, 2 PART 2: USEFUL RESOURCES

http://www.projectmaths.ie/documents/teachers/TL10_trigonometric_functions.pdf

This is a Teaching & Learning Plan for the Trigonometric Functions. This provides many activities that can be done, as well as resources that go with the activities. The plan is very detailed and would serve as a good review to the unit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A49oKRM2nxc

The video shows a class chanting trigonometry angles altogether. I think its an interesting way to gain class participation and increase motivation. Creating one with the class would be fun, and definitely would be memorable!

Burke, M., & Hodgson, T., & Kehle, P., & Mara, P., & Resek, D. (2006). Navigating through Mathematical connections in Grade 9-12. VA, Reston: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

This book contains various activity plans along with assessment tools for some topics covered from Grade 9 to 12. Some of the activities use realia to show the connection between the mathematical theories, and its real life application. The one I reviewed was Slinky Transformation in which students can explore trigonometric function transformations by using slinky and a graphing calculator (which can be replaced with just hand-drawn graphs). The book also contains various worksheet students can work on that would supplement the course material.

Nelsen, R. (1993). Proofs without Words Exercises in Visual thinking. Washington: The Mathematical Association of America.

This book is a collection of visual proofs to Laws, Theorems, and Rules in many topics such as Geometry and Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, Inequalities, Sequences and Series. When students learn to prove something in mathematics, it would be beneficial for them if they can visualize the proof when studying written proofs. Another book that is similar to this (but has more in-depth material that would be covered in University Level) is: Alsina, C., & Nelson R. (2006). Math Made Visual Creating Images for Understanding Mathematics. Washington, DC: The Mathematical Association of America.

Kim, 3 PART 3: LEARNING ACTIVITIES Activity 1: Math Meme This is a small project that would be given at the beginning of the Trigonometry unit. Students would have received a copy of the curriculum document which outlines the SLOs and Achievement Indicators for the unit. Then, students will be required to create a math meme that are both 1) relevant to the unit (meets at least one of the SLOs and its Achievement Indicators), and 2) educational. Rationale: This will provide a chance for students to incorporate arts and creativity into mathematics, while meeting the curriculum outcomes. Time: On-going throughout the unit. Students will hand in a hard copy of the meme, and may hand it in whenever they wish to; the printed copy would be posted on the bulletin board. This would be due at the day before the unit test. Half of a class time would be dedicated for brainstorming for ideas near the end of the unit, if necessary. Skills: creativity and understanding of the concept.

Materials for the Activity: Curriculum document for this unit, Computer; they can use any one of the make you own meme sites available on the internet, if they wish to. Students may choose to draw one if they wish to. Student Instructions for the Activity: (Verbal instruction, with visual examples. See next page for examples) You will need to create a math meme that is related to the Trigonometry Unit. An internet meme, if you are not already familiar with the concept, usually takes the form of an image, video, gif pictures, website, or hashtag, including a word or a phrase. A meme usually has a pop culture reference, or situations people often find themselves in. For our purposes, we will create a meme with an image and a phrase to go with it only. And remember that it has to be educational (so, no meme captions such as Trig sucks) to benefit both you and your classmates. You will also need to hand in a short write up (a couple of sentences will do) explaining your meme, and how it meets (or helps to meet) one of the outcomes. This will be an individual assignment that will be due the day before the final unit test. You may hand it in whenever you wish to before the unit ends. Teacher hints: There are already some math memes in existence on the internet! If students are struggling to come up with one, they can get some ideas by searching for math memes on the internet. Assessment for the Activity: Assessment would be divided into two parts 1) relevance/accuracy of the unit content, 2) creativity, and 3) explanation.

Kim, 4 A Sample Completed Activity:

1)

This uses an image from a popular show, South Park. The meme meets the first curriculum outcome in the document, which is to demonstrate an understanding of angles in standard position, expressed in degrees and radians. Moreover, its also a good reminder for students to calculate certain questions in radians.

2)

The image is from Futurama, a beloved American ScienceFiction animation. Fry (the ginger in the picture) is confounded, because cos(-x) and cos(x) have the exact same graph, i.e., those two are the exact same function. This one meets the fourth outcome in the curriculum document, because this establishes the understanding of the cosine function and its graph.

Kim, 5 Activity 2: Scavenger Hunt This would be the first activity that would be presented to the class in the beginning of the unit. Students will be put into groups of 2 or 3 people, and would preferably have the school area to find the treasures. The treasure, question sheets, will contain two questions, which would have the same answer (there are two questions to check the answer. So if the answers of the two questions does not equal, students would have to solve the questions again until they can get the two same answers). Rationale: This will meet the first and the third SLO, which is to demonstrate an understanding of angles in standard position, expressed in degrees and radians, and to solve problems, using the six trigonometric ratios for angles expressed in radians and degrees. Time: Students will spend one class to complete the sheet (see next page). In the following class, we would go over the solutions and review altogether. Skills: converting from degrees to radians; and vice versa. Understanding of the unit circle, and the relationship between coordinates and its angles. Materials for the Activity: Question cards, Answer sheet.

Student Instructions for the Activity: (Verbal and written instruction) In groups of 2 or 3 people, you will go on a scavenger hunt around the school to look for treasures. You will see two questions, and when you do, you must solve both to check the answer. If you do not get the same answer, solve the question again till the answers match. You will need to record how youve solved it, too, as it will be handed in to be marked. Each question will provide numerical information about someone in the school building. When you find him/her, get your papers stamped, and come back to the class! The first ones to come back with the stamp will win! Teacher hints: Make sure to talk about respecting other classes when doing the activity. Plant the treasures where there arent many classes around, to minimize distractions to the other classes. Assessment for the Activity: Students will hand in their solutions, and the solutions will be marked based on 1) process (correct work is shown), 2) answers, and 3) figured out the mystery person! A Sample Completed Activity: see next page.

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Kim, 8 Activity 3: Memory Game Students would play this game after learning identities and proving identities. This will be a good activity for students to review what theyve learnt, as trigonometric identities are one of the hardest content to remember, and there are lots to memorize, as well. Rationale: This game covers the very last SLO of the unit, which is to prove trigonometric identities using various identities learnt in class. It also contains a short review from angle conversion. Time: An entire class would be dedicated to playing the game. The last 10 minutes would be spent proving an identity given to the class, only using the cards from the game. Skills: Understanding of the Trigonometric Identities.

Materials for the Activity: Deck of memory cards, Instruction, a sheet of Trigonometric Identities, and Problem Solving. Student Instructions for the Activity: For the game instruction, see attached. The game will be done in groups of 3~4 students. The last 10 minutes would be spent proving an identity given to the class, only using the cards from the game. If you are finished early, come up with another identity that may be possible to prove with the memory card deck. You may have the trigonometric identities sheet to assist you, if you wish. Teacher hints: Make sure to go around the class to see if students are indeed collecting a match. Check their answers. Some students may need some reminder on some of the tougher ones. Assessment for the Activity: There will be no assessment for this activity. A Sample Completed Activity: see next page.

Kim, 9 TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITIES MEMORY GAME: INSTRUCTION

Object of the Game The object of the game is to collect the most matching pairs. Setting Up the Game Shuffle the cards. Lay out the cards face down in rows forming a large rectangle on the table or floor. Make sure the cards are not touching each other. They need to be able to be flipped over without disturbing any cards around them. Decide who will go first. Playing the Game The first player chooses a card and carefully turns it over. Be sure not to bother the surrounding cards. The player then selects another card and turns it over. If the two cards are a matching pair for example two Jacks then they take the two cards and start a stack. The player is awarded another turn for making a match and goes again. If the cards are not a match they are turned back over and it is now the next players turn. The next player chooses their first card and turns it over. If it is a match for one of the cards the previous player turned over then they try to remember where that matching card was and turn it. If they are successful at making a match they place the cards in their stack and choose another card. If the first card turned over was not a match for one previously turned over the player selects another card in an attempt of making a pair. If they are unsuccessful in making a match they flip the cards back over and play is passed to the next player. A players turn is not over until they are unable to make a matching pair. The game continues in this fashion until all the cards are played. Winning the Game Once all the cards have been played the player with the most matching pairs is the winner. Tip Just because it is another players turn doesn't mean you should stop paying attention. The cards that other players flip over could be the match you're looking for.

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Kim, 12 Activity 4: People Bingo This activity would be presented before the unit test. This will serve as a review for the test, and a way to (hopefully) lessen students anxiety. Rationale: This covers all six curriculum outlines, from understanding angles in degrees and in radians, to proving identities. Time: Students will spend about 15~25 minutes doing the activity. The rest of the class time will be dedicated to reviewing each question. Skills: expressing angles in degrees and radians, understanding trigonometric function transformation, all identities, proof of the Pythagorean Theorem, arc length formula, circle equation, understanding of the unit circle. Materials for the Activity: Bingo cards.

Student Instructions for the Activity: (Verbal and written instruction) This will be done individually. Unlike the traditional Bingo game where the host calls out what to cross out, you will have to find the answers for each slot to win. First one to have a blackout (everything has been crossed out/solved/answered) will win. Each slot contains a question thats highly relevant to our upcoming test! And weve already had several classes to review, so this activity finalizes the concepts in your minds. You can only ask one person per question. You cannot ask someone to answer for two or more questions. Make sure to record their answers as well as their name. If its a sketching problem, make sure you sketch what theyve drawn for you (this means, when you get asked a sketching question, you have to sketch it yourself to show that you understand). If its a solving problem, record the process when possible. Teacher hints: When someone calls BINGO, check their sheet to make sure theyve got the right answer for everything. Assessment for the Activity: teacher walks around the classroom to check and encourage participation. Make sure students arent only talking to their friends. Encourage participation from shy students as well by asking them easier questions. A Sample Completed Activity: see next page.

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