My students have a wide variety of learning abilities, and are with me because they have qualified for specialized instruction. The tools in this order will help my students to learn math standards in an active, hands-on manner that promotes movement and unique experiences for each student at home. This is especially helpful for students at my school, as more than 60% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced lunch and the special education population comprises more than 25% of the school. Many of my students will not attend college, and lessons that involve hands-on, practical skills are especially helpful for students to build skills they may use in their careers.
These tools will allow high school students to get outside and use real tools to build skills and knowledge by using their hands and their creativity to make angles and polygons. They will use speed squares to calculate angles and learn about right angles, complimentary angles, and supplementary angles. Similar to using a protractor on paper in a classroom, these speed squares show students how to measure angles on different surfaces. They will be provided with lumber and carpenter's pencils to make marks across boards the same way it happens on construction sites. Unlike protractors, which are thin and flimsy, speed squares are sturdy and easier to manipulate, which increases the accessibility of the lessons for my students with special needs in the area of fine motor skills.
The chalk line will be used to encourage students to make their own polygons outside. Once they master the speed square, they will incorporate the rules of triangles, including the Pythagorean Theorem, to make 3-4-5 triangles of various sizes. They will also make parallelograms, using the string line. There are so many possibilities!
About my class
My students have a wide variety of learning abilities, and are with me because they have qualified for specialized instruction. The tools in this order will help my students to learn math standards in an active, hands-on manner that promotes movement and unique experiences for each student at home. This is especially helpful for students at my school, as more than 60% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced lunch and the special education population comprises more than 25% of the school. Many of my students will not attend college, and lessons that involve hands-on, practical skills are especially helpful for students to build skills they may use in their careers.
These tools will allow high school students to get outside and use real tools to build skills and knowledge by using their hands and their creativity to make angles and polygons. They will use speed squares to calculate angles and learn about right angles, complimentary angles, and supplementary angles. Similar to using a protractor on paper in a classroom, these speed squares show students how to measure angles on different surfaces. They will be provided with lumber and carpenter's pencils to make marks across boards the same way it happens on construction sites. Unlike protractors, which are thin and flimsy, speed squares are sturdy and easier to manipulate, which increases the accessibility of the lessons for my students with special needs in the area of fine motor skills.
The chalk line will be used to encourage students to make their own polygons outside. Once they master the speed square, they will incorporate the rules of triangles, including the Pythagorean Theorem, to make 3-4-5 triangles of various sizes. They will also make parallelograms, using the string line. There are so many possibilities!
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