Right triangles are so special! Use special right triangles to discover the trigonometric ratios. Pairs construct special right triangles and find the values of the ratios of the sides. In the process, they discover the ratios stay the...

Use right triangles for more than just mathematical problems. The first two lessons of a unit ask pupils determine distances between cities by using the Pythagorean Theorem and a map. To cement understanding, learners use trigonometric...

While the lesson focuses on right triangles, this activity offers a great way to practice the area of all triangles through an interactive webpage. The activity begins with the class taking a square paper and cutting in in half; can they...

Who knew math could help with sports? An invigorating set of lessons encourages learners to apply right triangles in baseball, volleyball, hockey, football, and soccer. They use the Pythagorean Theorem, Pythagorean triples, special right...

Starting with similar triangles and dilation factors, this unit quickly and thoroughly progresses into the world of right triangle features and trigonometric relationships. Presented in easy-to-attack modules with copious application...

You're safe, when calculating the odds of stealing second base! Learners compare the rate of a runner to the distance the ball travels, in a lesson plan that explores right triangles and measurement. Full of discussion questions and...

Geometry gets an engineering treatment in an exercise involving a belt wrapped around two wheels of different dimensions. Along with the wheels, this belt problem connects concepts of right triangles, tangent lines, arc length, and...

Model good modeling practices. Young mathematicians first learn about cross sections and solids of revolution. They then turn their attention to special right triangles and to the Laws of Sine and Cosine.

Add up areas of squares to discover the pythagorean relationship. Small groups create right triangles with squares along each side. They calculate the areas of each square and notice the relationship. Groups construct other types of...

Make sure the measurement is right. The interactive provides right triangles with a missing side measurement. Pupils use the given sides and the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the length of the missing side. After entering the length,...

Model geometric concepts through a hands-on approach. Learners apply similar triangle relationships to solve for an unknown side length. Before they find the solution, they describe the transformation to help identify corresponding sides.

It's a Pythagorean who-dun-it. Pupils apply the Pythagorean Theorem in several different real-world scenarios involving right triangles. By solving each task, they find the thief who was responsible for a museum heist.

Prove the Law of Sines two ways. The ninth segment in a series of 16 introduces the Law of Sines to help the class find lengths of sides in oblique triangles. Pupils develop a proof of the Law of Sines by drawing an altitude and a second...

Try to figure out what happens with shadows as a person moves between two light sources. A formative assessment lesson has individuals work on an assessment task based on similar triangles, then groups them based on their...

If you have ever injured your shoulder, you know it takes a while to improve your arm's range of motion. In this real-world example, young mathematicians gain insight into the world of physical therapy while they analyze a case study...

Put on your thinking caps because middle school math has never been more interesting in this huge resource full of thought provoking questions. Written as a newsletter, the resource has 10 two-page newsletters with a variety of...

How do you find the lengths of items that cannot be directly measured? The 13th installment in a series of 16 has pupils use the similarity content learned in an earlier resource to solve real-world problems. Class members determine...

Use the Law of Cosines and the Law of Sines to solve problems using the sums of vectors. Pupils work on several different types of real-world problems that can be modeled using triangles with three known measurements. In the process,...

Build upon the Pythagorean Theorem with the Law of Cosines. The 10th part of a 16-part series introduces the Law of Cosines. Class members use the the geometric representation of the Pythagorean Theorem to develop a proof of the Law of...

"Fore!" All right, no one really yells this out in miniature golf, but this well-defined activity will have your charges using lots of numbers in their unique design of a miniature golf hole. Included in the activity criteria is the...

Connect the size of a rolling cup to the size of circle it makes. Pupils view videos of cups of different sizes rolling in a circle. Using the videos and additional data, they attempt to determine a relationship between cup...

A collection of two lessons, kindergartners will identify two-dimensional shapes in solid shapes. They will develop basic knowledge of the components that make up a sphere, rectangular prism, pyramid, cylinder, cone, and cube. Young...

Trace the links between a variety of math concepts in this far-reaching unit. Ideas that seem very different on the outset (like the distance formula and rigid transformations) come together in very natural and logical ways. This...

Just about every public building that your students are familiar with has an access ramp which complies with ADA requirements. As it turns out, designing such a ramp is an excellent activity to incorporate slope, the Pythagorean Theorem,...