Brittany's+Page+3

Pythagorean Theorem Lesson : This page is sort of a follow up of a lesson two classmates and I had created based on the Pythagorean Theorem. First, I will mention a few ways in which we integrated writing tools into teaching this lesson. One writing tool we had used is the Write Around strategy. This is a useful tool as it allows your students to brainstorm off of one another ideas and thoughts. We wanted to know how much the students knew about the topic. We broke them into groups, and had them share their ideas on paper for a minute, and then we had each group exchange papers, where they continued to brainstorm. After exchanging, they were able to see other classmates ideas they had written down. This allows for them to further brainstorm and stretch their minds further. Another writing tool we had used was an exit slip. This exit slip, done at the end of the class period, is designed to see what they students had actually learned or not learned during that days lesson. These serves as a great mini assessment, as well as a way to get the students to write and share what they did or did not grasp.



WEB 2.0 has web-based learning tools that invite users to participate in creating content. In the "cool tools for school" Wiki, I found a presentation tool that will serve of great purpose!



Slideshare is a website that allows you to create an account, and then upload and share your files, including PowerPoint presentations.

Steps: 1. First go to [|slideshare]. 2. Next, on the upper right hand corner, click on "signup" 3. Create your own username and password, along with giving your email. 4.Click on "UPLOAD" which is located on the top of your screen in an orange box 

5. You will see this page after you have clicked upload. By Clicking the orange UPLOAD on the left, It is a free and easy version to use. 6. After clicking on it, it will bring up your documents, and you can choose whatever file you have saved, and upload it onto Slidshare!

Sharing you Slides, After you have uploaded the file, you can find them email icon on the web screen, where you can click on it, then enter emails manually, or sign into an email account of yours, and selecting a group or names in you email lists.

This site is so easy to use and understand! My kind of site !

Why This Tool?

This Tool seems like such a great idea when it comes to teaching. In hopes of becoming a educator, I find that not all students are capable of paying full attention to a teacher speaking in class when they are scrambling to take down every note in a PowerPoint presentation. Some students learn best this way, and can multitask the note taking and the listening, but some students would much rather listen and maybe take notes as they see necessary.

I am personally a huge note taker, but when i had a professor whom uploaded all his PowerPoint presentation online, i was able to breathe a little better in class knowing that if i missed a slide or two, i could go back and look at them later. I found this genius.

So, where does this come into play in my lesson on the Pythagorean Theorem?

It may not be specific to this lesson necessarily, but rather a more of a tool i would use several times throughout the school year. However, I find the idea of uploading the PowerPoint's online possibly helpful to my students. I will be able to email them the PowerPoint where they can then upload it and use it to their own needs. On such an important unit like this one, uploading the PowerPoint is important as the students can then focus on the extra information I am explaining and demonstrating to them that may not be in the PowerPoint's, as well as take notes of any additional questions or side notes that occur in the class.

This is where student responsibility comes into play. They are in 8th grade, almost in high school, and they must learn to become more responsible for note taking, as well as paying attention on class, asking questions when they are confused, and doing their own work. The students are not forced to use the PowerPoint's, but rather it is the idea that they are there if they need them. It is up to the students to do whatever is easiest and most beneficial to them. This way, it gives the students a choice to either take notes as extensively or as lightly as they want to in class. Whichever way they feel helps them better learn.

This also serves a benefit for those students who miss class. They have the opportunity to view what was done in class. However, it is still up to them to see me in order to make up work or fill in the missing pieces. Responsibility is key here as well.

In conclusion, for my lesson on Pythagorean theorem, this Slideshare tool will help me to allow my students to pay more attention to the activities and less on note taking. They are encouraged, however, to take note of anything important that is not in the PowerPoint presentation.



<span style="color: #1abfbf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Here, I will share three additional resources by which you may find useful in relation to my lesson, <span style="color: #1abfbf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> the Pythagorean Theorem. <span style="color: #1abfbf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Two of them are actually shared from Slidshare, the Web 2.0 tool I had discussed above! <span style="color: #1abfbf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">And the other is a virtual proof of the theorem.

[|Virtual Proof] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">This website is an animated proof of the Pythagorean theorem. What is neat about this is that its a visual for how the squares of the legs add up to equal the square of the hypotenuse. This is one of many proofs for the theorem, but is a fun and different way to take a look at how this theorem works. To take this into the classroom, you could do a hands on activity for how this works. See Picture below: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">What you could do, like in animated proof, is have the students <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> cut the squares labeled a and b, and cut out the individual squares <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> out of those squares, where they will find out will fit into the square c.

[|Slideshare presentation] <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">This presentation was shared on slideshare, which is the WEB 2.0 tool I had discussed above. I had found this, because along with being able to share the presentations with your students or select people, you can also share it broadly with anyone who wishes to see it. This presentation is just another way of going about discussing the Pythagorean theorem. I find this video has some more information as well as a neat twist! This is a "virtual" field trip on the theorem, and what makes this stand out is the students are able to click on different information on a slide, and it will bring them to a different site where they can find out different information. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> This could be neat if all your students could have a computer where they could each go through the PowerPoint. But to keep them on task and going through the whole PowerPoint I would assign a worksheet in which they have to answer questions based on the virtual trip. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Very Cool!

[|Slideshare Pyth. Theorem] <span style="color: #008080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">This slideshare is a different look at the theorem, as it does not offer a virtual trip, but it rather is a more simplistic and basic PowerPoint. This is simpler as it does not congest with information, but rather stays more basic, leaving the teacher to possible fill in any necessary gaps. I loved this link as it gives proper examples and proper details, yet will not confuse anyone seeking basic ideas about the theorem.

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1083px; width: 1px;"> A2

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">CLICK HERE to go back to my first page!