UDL Exchange: Lesson

10/6/15, 7:52 PM

Law of Sines and Cosines

Sarah Creegan
0

Last Updated: December 2, 2014

About This Lesson

DESCRIPTION
Class Description:
This is a lesson for a tenth grade geometry class with twenty five students. In the classroom, there are five iPads, one class computer, an
Elmo, and an interactive whiteboard. The iPads are used in groups for research, communication, and creating graphs. Applications have
been previously downloaded for students such as Triangle Solver and GeometrIQ: Geometry Picture Game. The computer is primarily for
teacher use to create presentations, use Geometers Sketchpad software, and other resources. The Elmo is available to project
worksheets on the board for a visual demonstration. Then the Interactive Whiteboard is available for activities, presentations,
assessments, etc. We will utilize all of these technologies on a daily basis.
The student population includes two students with IEPs, one who is an English Language Learner, and one who is Gifted and Talented. All
four students are provided with accommodations according to their needs in learning.
Student A with an IEP is low incidence. She works well during independent practice and is focused on tasks when working alone.
Nonetheless, speech is low to none and the use of an iPad helps the student be active in the lesson and communicate with others. We
made the apps Proloquo2Go and Dragon available during activities and discussions. During class, I found that the student responds
positively to reinforcement. I initiated a reinforcement rule where the minute I see her get off topic, I relay back to the activity. Another
method I found is showing the student her daily schedule so she is not thinking about what she will be doing next. So, she receives a class
schedule to use on a daily basis with times and details of the routine. With this, we have created a visual schedule that is able to be edited
when needed. This will be seen on the iPad for reminders of what is expected during the day. For the final assistive technology, we have
incorporated fidgets to her daily use. Instead of rocking in her seat, she uses her hands to mold balloons with sand or a squishy ball.
Student B with an IEP is high incidence. During class, this student enjoys math and completes his work with high accuracy when only
numbers are involved. However, his reading and writing skills are low so he is unable to work with word problems or verbal prompts. To
accommodate his learning disability, we have started the student with a Smart Pen and notebook. During class, he takes notes on special
paper and records my voice to go back and listen to. This helps when using graphic organizers or completing worksheets I go over.
Another assistive technology we use is the virtual pencil where we utilize an app that focuses on math activities, note taking, and lessons
involving words or numbers. Since he responds best to verbal prompts, we also translate his material from text to speech using the Smart
Pen. I record my voice to each question on the special notepaper and have him highlight the questions I am reading. Finally, we will use
blank stickers to attach to his worksheets. These will have numbers or words written in highlighter that will be given prior to class with a
graphic organizer. We will use these during class, and he will have to trace the words to make the appropriate letter.
In regards to the ELL student, she recently moved from Guatemala and only has a minimal English vocabulary. She is able to identify math
procedures when numbers are involved, but has trouble with word problems. Here, we use the assistive technology of a translator to help
with new terms. Then using a graphic organizer, we will formulate this new term into their mental dictionary. To use these words in the
class, we will incorporate the opportunity for group work. This will enhance communication and collaboration for the ELL student. Another
method is the use of visuals so the student is able to relate a word to a picture.
One of the students in the class is Gifted and Talented. He is involved in the class but remains bored when he finishes activities early or
understands material before I have explained it. So, we use active learning to keep him focused by having the student demonstrate and
explain new procedures or help a peer with understanding. So not only is he learning new material (quickly) but also teaching it to another
student or the class to create clear comprehension. Another method is for the student to have more challenging and engaging questions.
So instead of asking the basic problem, there will be different parts incorporated to find the answer.
Lesson Description:
In this lesson, students will be learning how to find missing angles and sides of triangles using trigonometric functions. They will be
completing a graphic organizer with teacher guidance. This graphic organizer will help them with independent and group activities. This
lesson is to prepare the students for the law of Tangent and then proving these trigonometric functions in regards to a unit circle.

PREREQUISITES
Students will have previous knowledge on triangles and the right triangle theory of the Pythagorean theorem.

ESTIMATED TIME
1 hour

Potential Use
PURPOSE:
GRADES:
CONTENT AREAS:
COMMON CORE:

Classroom Instruction
9 - 12
Math
Mathematics

Goals
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UDL Exchange: Lesson

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INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS
All students need to be able to label a triangle using the terms: theta, adjacent, opposite, and hypotenuse. Then they will need to solve for
the missing piece identified by the problem using the process from the Law of Sines or the Law of Cosines.

OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to use the Law of Sines to discover the missing angle or side of a triangle.
Students will be able to use the Law of Cosines to discover the missing angle or side of a triangle.

VARIABILITY
For this lesson, I will incorporate multiple means of expression, representation, and engagement so everyone will comprehend the
material. The material and accommodations for two students with IEPs, an ELL student, and a G/T student are provided below.

Assessments
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
The students will transition their answers from the independent activity to the board and we will discuss the procedure they used to find
their answer. After we go over the problem, students will ask questions or raise their hand if we need to go back. We will do this continually
after the independent practice.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
Students will use their assigned clickers to complete the quiz from the interactive whiteboard. Each student will be given a blank piece of
paper to show their work, but need to select their answer from the choices on the board. From this, I will receive immediate feedback and
be able to look at their work to check for complete comprehension.

Instructional Methods
OPENING
There will be four triangles on the front board. Students will need to draw the triangles on a piece of paper and label them appropriately.
Then for each triangle, there will be a missing side they need to find using the Pythagorean Theorem. I will have each triangle drawn on
the Whiteboard on different slides so we can check answers. Since we had just completed the lesson on the Pythagorean theorem,
students should go through the opener in about 8 minutes.

DURING
Direct Instruction: Students will complete a graphic organizer while I go through a presentation defining Law of Sines and Cosines. This
presentation will be from the website http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/dictionary.html. The website gives a definition, visual, and
formula for both laws. These will be defined through right triangles where we need to find the missing side or angle. During this time, we
will need to define the sides of the triangles (hypotenuse, adjacent, opposite) using theta as our angle. Then students will write the formula
associated with each law. These formulas will identify how to find the missing angle or side with the information given. 10 minutes
Accommodations:
Mike will be given the Livescribe pen and notebook with the words pre-recorded. He will the have to use his labels to match the words to
the sentence. This will just be a reflection of what is on the presentation. Then he will use the Virtual Pencil to solve the problems along
with the class.
Beverly will be using her visuals to complete the graphic organizer by following the prompts on the board. She will copy what is highlighted
by the teacher in yellow. This allows her to work without the verbal responses or questioning. She will also use fidgets and pencil grips to
help her avoid classroom distractions and focus on the material. Talking calculator will also be provided when working on the problems so
she can verbalize her answers to the class.
ELL will be given the opportunity to complete the graphic organizer with a partner by copying down the material. She will need to verbalize
what is written and the use numbers or pictures as often as possible will help.
G/T Student will be guiding the first question in full and asked questions for a detailed response such as "what does the inverse mean?" or
"Can you demonstrate this problem using a real world situation?"

Guided Practice: The class will complete triangles using the Laws previously defined. I will show the students how to complete a triangle
using the law of Sines and another with the law of Cosines. Then a student in the class will come up to the board to work on a new
problem. First they will label the triangle appropriately using the key on the side. Then another student will come up and write out the
formula using the numbers given. Finally, all the students will use their calculators to solve. We will continue this for four different triangles
where the students will need to copy the information on notebook paper. 15 minutes

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Independent Practice: Students will be given a worksheet with three problems that they will need to independently solve. During this time, I
will write the problems on the board and have students come up to write their answer with their work show. We will go over each problem
to check for comprehension. 5 minutes
Accommodations:
Mike will be given the Virtual Pencil to solve his problems and then he will project at least one part of a problem on the board using the
Elmo.
Beverly will stay on task by using a highlighter to check off the problems she completes. This will help her stay on topic and focus on how
many she has left. Also the use of a digital timer in the front of the room will help with time management so she has to organize her
thoughts and work.
The ELL will be given the visuals, like everyone else, to solve the problems and answer numerically.
G/T student will not be given the visuals and will need to create the triangles before solving.He will need to demonstrate his understanding
by labeling the triangle correctly and then solving. This will help him associate the new terms to a picture independently.
Group Practice:Students will be paired up to complete a worksheet with word problems to describe triangles. We will go over number one
as a whole class, then they will complete the problems with their partner. I will be expecting a visual, correct labels, formula that is
associated, and the solving process with an answer. Each group will be given one problem that they need to complete on their dry-erase
board or iPad to present to the class. They will need to describe every aspect that was written above.
Accommodations:
Mike will work with a partner and discuss the aspects of the triangle being described. To help with the reading, he will be paired with a
student known for high reading skills. His livescribe pen will also have the word problems pre-recorded so he can go back and use this
material for future aid. This will help with comprehension of material. They will collaborate to create a visual. Then use the Virtual Pencil to
solve. Mike will orally describe the picture they created while his partner writes everything out.
Beverly will be assigned a partner that is independent much like she is. In order to communicate, Beverly will need to utilize the application
called Proloquo2go. This way they can collaborate by the partner reading and Beverly following along highlighting key information and
adding in a word or two (or a sentence if typed in). They will then use the image Beverly received from the teacher to solve (visuals help
her with comprehension). She will need to label the image appropriate with her partner and solve using the Talking Calculator. The
calculator will verbalize her process to her partner of how she solved for the missing angle or side.
The ELL student will be given prompts for working with a partner such as a worksheet with the visuals already drawn out and the labels
completed. This means that her and her partner can focus on the number aspect and communicate via mathematical procedures. I want
the ELL student to be able to associate the word problem to the visual, so the partners will need to have a discussion of the process. This
can include the basic terms we had recently defined on the graphic organizer.
The G/T student will work with a student having difficulty in class such as Mike and help him with understanding. It seems that many
students are able to show their new knowledge best when passing it onto another person. So this student will help Mike understand the
terminology in the word problems and how to reflect on the graphic organizer to label and answer. He will then need to write out the
process on the board following Mike's oral presentation.

CLOSING
I will have the students complete an interactive whiteboard quiz using the clickers that have been assigned to them. They will need to get
out a sheet of paper as well to write out their processes. Then they will submit their answers using the clickers. This will be a timed quiz
that the students will be given plenty of time to complete (3 questions in seven minutes). At the end of the quiz, I will be given quick
feedback as to who did well and who did not. I will also look through the papers to see who may need more practice and who is ready to
move onto the next topic of tangent.

Materials
MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES
Graphic Organizer (Worksheet)
LiveScribe Pen
iPad: Virtual Pencil App and Proloquo2go
Labeled Stickers
Virtual Pencil
Interactive Whiteboard with Clickers and presentation
Elmo

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Fidgets
Pencil Grips
Triangle Visuals
Talking Calculator
Word problems (worksheet)
Highlighters
Digital timer

RESOURCES INCLUDED
Graphic Organizer Document
Why it's included:
To organize ideas for future reflection
0

Last Updated: December 2, 2014

Worksheet Document
Why it's included:
Practice Problems
0

Last Updated: December 2, 2014

Presentation Other
0

Last Updated: December 2, 2014

Comments

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