Noodles away

This lesson will assist students to see angle relationships and the relationship of parallel lines and transversals. This exercise is good for visual and tactile learners since it is of a concrete nature. Students of all academic levels can enjoy this.

A lesson plan for grade 5 Mathematics

By Melda Bullock

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Related pages

• Fun with angles: This lesson plan will help the students visualize the different angles (corresponding, alternate interior, and same-side interior) when coplanar lines are cut by a transversal.
• Looking at things from different angles: This lesson will introduce students to angles using a resource of Shodor Education Foundation, Inc. Permission has been granted for the use of the materials as part of the workshop "Interactivate Your Bored Math Students."
• The Greedy Triangle: Students review geometric terms by making predictions about what the Greedy Triangle will become as the teacher reads the book, The Greedy Triangle. Students will create geometric creatures after the review.

Related topics

• Learn more about angles, geometry, kinesthetic learning, mathematics, and transversals.

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Learning outcomes

The student will identify and evaluate angle relationships and measurements when two parallel lines are cut by at least one transversal.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

50 Minutes

Materials/resources

• 1 box of linguini noodles
• 2 sets of two color counters (for students and teacher)
• Scotch Tape
• Masking Tape
• paper
• pencil
• calculator

Pre-activities

Make sure students have an understanding of parallel lines and can construct them. Students should know vertical angles, adjacent angles, and supplementary angles. The instructor should have a semi-permanent set of parallel lines cut by a transversal available either on the board or overhead. The use of masking tape for the board is helpful or taping the noodles to the overhead can provide a semi-permanent set for you to use. Students should have an understanding of solving equations or expressions.

Activities

1. The teacher allows the students to create a pair of parallel lines cut by one transversal with linguini noodles on each desk and secure them by taping them to the desk. (The teacher can also prepare the desks ahead of time.)
2. Once the desks are ready and counters are distributed to the students, the teacher demonstrates the different relationships by representing the pairs of congruent angles with the same color counter on the board/overhead. The students should be able to repeat this or show this at their desk.
3. Once all relationship have been covered, the teacher should incorporate measurements of the angles emphasizing which angles are congruent and which are supplementary. At this point students should be able to discover the remaining 7 angles from providing 1 angle.
4. After students have done this, they can then pair up and hide different values both true measurement (45 degrees) and expression (2x+ 1) under the chips to have a partner turn the chip over to solve for the value of either a supplementary angle or identify all congruent angles. Each time the student has justify why it has that value by naming the angle relationship.

Assessment

The teacher can make a general assessment of the students through observation during the initial lesson and throughout the period they are working with their partner. Assessment can be adjusted to the teacher expectation. However, remember you are checking for understanding of the relationships instead of the accuracy of solving expressions. (That is very important also, but not the objective of this lesson)

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Comments

Have fun, but don’t let the students get too competitive.