USING HANDS-ON INQUIRY TO DEVELOP CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING IN THE GEOMETRY CLASSROOM

Abstract

The curriculum provided in the following pages is intended for use in a high school Geometry classroom. The objective of these materials is to provide a unique, hands-on experience for students when first encountering a topic to support students’ conceptual understanding as they progress through the unit. The four non-consecutive lessons serve as introductions to the following topics: triangle angle theorems, parallel lines cut by a transversal, writing proofs, and triangle congruence theorems. These topics were chosen based on student misconceptions witnessed in the author’s own classroom in an alternative education setting. The lesson activities were designed to encourage inquiry, metacognition, and whole class conceptual discussions. The NYS Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards and corresponding objectives are provided within the introduction to each lesson.