ACADEMIC
PREPARATION
WEEK FIVE DAY
ONE
Lesson
Title:
Geometry / Angles
Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: Math
Learning
Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels
Lesson
Length: One
hour
Instruction
Type: Class
discussion, individual practice and application
Overview
/ Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to help students
understand the various types of angles and be able to identify and solve angles
problems on the GED examination.
Learning
Objectives / Skills:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to
identify various common angles, understand angle relationships, and solve simple
angle problems.
Skills:
Math, problem solving, knowing how to learn, reasoning, monitors and corrects
performance
Materials
/ Equipment Needed:
Masking
tape
Box
of toothpicks
GED
book with angles exercises
Paper
and pencils
Chalkboard
and chalk
How
to Prepare:
The instructor should be familiar with what angles are, what types are used on the GED exam, and how to solve angle problems.
Introduction
/ Warm Up / Review:
Ask students to look around the room and find two
lines that connect at a point. (Corner of a table, other corners, especially if
they are not 90 degrees). As they mention various intersections, try marking
them by placing masking tape to form the angle. Two lines must extend from the
same point (vertex). They can be smaller than or larger than 90 degrees.
Presentation
of Lesson:
After the angles have been marked with masking tape,
demonstrate to students what a 90-degree angle looks like, such as the square
corner of a table. Write the word "right angle" on the board and tell
students that it is exactly 90 degrees. Ask students to identify how many right
angles were marked with tape.
Ask students to identify whether any other angles
were marked that were less than square. Write the word "acute = 0-89"
on the board. Do the same for angles over 90 degrees. Write the word
"obtuse = 91-179" on the board.
Find some straight lines, such as the side of a book
or paper. Write "straight = exactly 180" on the board.
Do the same for a reflex angle, which is more than 180 degrees but less
than 360 degrees.
Practice
/ Activity:
Pass out the toothpicks to the students. Have
students practice arranging the toothpicks to form the various types of angles
listed on the board. As students make angles, get them to tell each other which
type of angle they have made. Circulate and quiz students on their angles.
Have
students turn to a page in the GED book that displays the angles. Have students
look at the page. Students should notice that the angles displayed have a small
curve near the vertex that indicates the opening. Ask students why the curve
would be important (helps to determine the type of angle).
Have
students do an exercise that requires them to identify angles.
Practice
/ Activity:
Repeat the process of making angles with toothpicks,
but this time explain angle relationships. The three that are necessary to learn
for the GED examination are: supplementary angles, complementary angles, and
vertical angles.
Have students complete an exercise that helps them to
identify the three angle relationships.
Application
/ Transfer:
Explain to students that our
world is made of geometry angles and that if they can identify common angles
found in their surroundings and be able to identify them, they can use that as a
reminder of geometry angles while taking the GED exam.
Have students complete angles
word problems listed in the GED book. The problems require using simple
addition/subtraction skills. Encourage students to see geometry as part of our
everyday world.
Reflection
by Teacher:
Were
students able to identify and solve angles word problems?
Planning
for Next Lesson:
Encourage
students follow-up with GED software in Technology. Students will study
triangles in the next lesson. Review the four triangles that are necessary to
learn for the GED exam.
Lesson Title: Writing: Parallel Structures, Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: English,
Writing
Learning
Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels
Lesson
Length: One
hour
Instruction
Type: Group,
individual and pair practice.
Overview
/ Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to provide students
with the opportunity to practice skills needed for the GED Writing Skills Test
as well as to become familiar with the personal qualities needed by workers in a
high performance work environment as identified in SCANS (The Secretary of Labor’s
Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills). Students will take a closer
look at these personal qualities in Day four.
Learning
Objectives / Skills:
At the completion of this lesson, students will be
able to 1) combine sentences by using modifying phrases, identify and correct
dangling and misplaced modifiers in a variety of sentences, and
2) edit parallel structures.
Skills:
Teamwork, writing
Overhead
Projector
Transparencies
Transparency
Pens
Handout:
Parallel Structures
GED
workbook, such as Contemporary’s GED
Introduction
/ Warm Up / Review:
Inform students that in today’s lesson they will be practicing skills needed for the GED Writing Test, i.e. combining sentences by using modifying phrases, identifying and correcting dangling and misplaced modifiers, and checking that all parallel structures are written in the same form.
Presentation
of Lesson:
Write a simple declarative sentence on the left side
of the blackboard and a second sentence that adds information or description on
the right side of the board. For example:
I
heard the fire alarm.
It
was ringing very loudly.
Ask
students to combine the two sentences.
For
example:
I heard the fire alarm ringing very loudly.
Ask
students if the sentence could be written as: Ringing very loudly, I heard the fire alarm. Discuss why this is
incorrect.
Divide the class into two teams. Team A must compose
5 simple declarative sentences, and write them on the left side of the
blackboard. Team B must write a sentence that adds information or description to
those written by Team A.
Give the teams a few minutes to combine the sentences
and write them on a transparency. At
the end of the time period, announce “time’s up.” Ask each team to share
their combined sentences on the overhead projector, evaluate them together, and
award 1 point for each correct sentence.
To provide students with additional individual
practice, use a GED workbook, such as Contemporary’s GED that provides
exercises and answers for self-correction.
Use a GED workbook, such as Contemporary’s GED
to review parallel structures. Remind students that in sentences, two
or more elements
that have the same function must be written in the same form. Be sure to check
verb tenses, parts of speech, singular/plural, etc.
Practice exercises in a workbook to identify parallel
structures. Distribute the handout, “Parallel Structures” to the students.
Explain to the students that this handout contains a list of 5 personal
qualities which employers have identified as being important qualities for their
employees and which they will be working with in Day 4 of this week.
Divide the students into 5 groups and assign each
group one section to edit for parallel structures. Students should identify the
errors (2 in each section) and make the necessary corrections.
Use a transparency of the handout to correct as a
whole group with each group identifying the errors they found, and their
corrections. Have the class evaluate and make the appropriate changes to their
sheets.
Reflection
by Teacher:
Are the
students able to identify and correct sentences that contain dangling and
misplaced modifiers as well as identify and edit sentences that contain parallel
structures? Did the practice activities engage the students? Was there
sufficient time to accomplish all of the objectives?
Planning
for Next Lesson:
Review
lesson on sentence structure. Have students access GED software that pertains to
writing and English.
ACADEMIC
PREPARATION
WEEK FIVE DAY
TWO
Lesson
Title:
Geometry Triangles
Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: Math
Learning
Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels
Lesson
Length: One
hour
Instruction
Type: Class
discussion, individual practice and application
Overview
/ Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to help students
understand the various types of triangles and be able to identify and solve
triangle problems on the GED examination.
Learning
Objectives / Skills:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to
identify various common triangles, understand triangle relationships, and solve
simple triangle problems.
Skills:
Math, problem solving, knowing how to learn, reasoning, monitors and corrects
performance
Materials
/ Equipment Needed:
Masking
tape
Box
of toothpicks
GED
book with triangles exercises
Paper
and pencils
Chalkboard
and chalk
How
to Prepare:
The instructor should be familiar with what triangles are, what types are used on the GED exam, and how to solve triangle problems.
Introduction
/ Warm Up / Review:
Ask students to recall the shape of a triangle. As
they tell you what it is shaped like, ask them to describe it as you draw it on
the board. Ask students if triangles can be different shapes.
Students should say yes, and as they do, ask the
particular student to come to the board and draw the shape of the triangle. If
possible, identify the triangles that students have drawn. There are four types
that are used on the GED exam. Write the name of the triangle by each one, if
possible. If students do not draw appropriate triangles for this lesson, redraw
where necessary.
Presentation
of Lesson:
After the triangles have been identified, ask
students to look at the triangle equilateral triangle. Ask students to identify
what is 'equal' about this triangle. They should say that all three sides are
equal. Have students make an equilateral triangle with their toothpicks.
Repeat this same procedure for the isoceles, the
scalene, and the right triangles. Have students make the various triangles with
their toothpicks, but they may need to add/or break toothpicks to accomplish the
task. Get students to tell share their triangles with neighbors by identifying
them and asking neighbors to identify theirs.
Practice
/ Activity:
Have
students turn to a page in the GED book that displays the triangles. Have
students look at the page. Students should notice that the triangles displayed
have a small box in the corner of a right triangle and that the other triangles
give a degree identification. Ask students why they would need to have the
degree and ask them how they can use that to identify the triangles.
Have
students do an exercise that requires them to identify triangles. Students can
use their toothpicks when necessary.
Have students complete an exercise that helps them to
solve triangle relationships.
Application / Transfer:
Explain to students that our world is made of geometry triangles and that if they can identify similarity triangles found in their surroundings and be able to identify them, they can use that as a reminder of geometry triangles while taking the GED exam.
Have students complete similarity triangles word problems listed in the GED book. The problems require using simple addition/subtraction skills. Encourage students to see geometry as part of our everyday world.
Repeat the process for congruent triangles. Go over
the conditions for congruent triangles. Have students work from the text to
solve congruent triangle problems.
Reflection
by Teacher:
Were
students able to identify and solve angles word problems?
Planning
for Next Lesson:
Encourage students follow-up with GED software in
Technology. Students will study square roots in the next lesson. Review the four
triangles that are necessary to learn for the GED exam.
ACADEMIC
PREPARATION
WEEK FIVE DAY
TWO
Lesson Title: Writing: Parallel Structures, Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: English, Writing
Learning
Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels
Lesson
Length: One
hour
Instruction
Type: Group,
individual and pair practice.
Overview
/ Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to provide students
with the opportunity to practice skills needed for the GED Writing Skills Test
as well as to become familiar with the personal qualities needed by workers in a
high performance work environment as identified in SCANS (The Secretary of Labor’s
Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills). Students will take a closer
look at these personal qualities in Day four.
Learning
Objectives / Skills:
At the completion of this lesson, students will be
able to 1) combine sentences by using modifying phrases, identify and correct
dangling and misplaced modifiers in a variety of sentences, and
2) edit parallel structures.
Skills:
Teamwork, writing
Overhead
Projector
Transparencies
Transparency
Pens
Handout:
Parallel Structures
GED
workbook, such as Contemporary’s GED
Introduction
/ Warm Up / Review:
Inform students that in today’s lesson they will be practicing skills needed for the GED Writing Test, i.e. combining sentences by using modifying phrases, identifying and correcting dangling and misplaced modifiers, and checking that all parallel structures are written in the same form.
Presentation
of Lesson:
Write a simple declarative sentence on the left side
of the blackboard and a second sentence that adds information or description on
the right side of the board. For example:
I
heard the fire alarm.
It
was ringing very loudly.
Ask
students to combine the two sentences.
For
example:
I heard the fire alarm ringing very loudly.
Ask
students if the sentence could be written as: Ringing very loudly, I heard the fire alarm. Discuss why this is
incorrect.
Divide the class into two teams. Team A must compose
5 simple declarative sentences, and write them on the left side of the
blackboard. Team B must write a sentence that adds information or description to
those written by Team A.
Give the teams a few minutes to combine the sentences
and write them on a transparency. At
the end of the time period, announce “time’s up.” Ask each team to share
their combined sentences on the overhead projector, evaluate them together, and
award 1 point for each correct sentence.
To provide students with additional individual
practice, use a GED workbook, such as Contemporary’s GED that provides
exercises and answers for self-correction.
Use a GED workbook, such as Contemporary’s GED
to review parallel structures. Remind students that in sentences, two
or more elements
that have the same function must be written in the same form. Be sure to check
verb tenses, parts of speech, singular/plural, etc.
Practice exercises in a workbook to identify parallel
structures. Distribute the handout, “Parallel Structures” to the students.
Explain to the students that this handout contains a list of 5 personal
qualities which employers have identified as being important qualities for their
employees and which they will be working with in Day 4 of this week.
Divide the students into 5 groups and assign each
group one section to edit for parallel structures. Students should identify the
errors (2 in each section) and make the necessary corrections.
Use a transparency of the handout to correct as a
whole group with each group identifying the errors they found, and their
corrections. Have the class evaluate and make the appropriate changes to their
sheets.
Reflection
by Teacher:
Planning
for Next Lesson:
Review
lesson on sentence structure. Have students access GED software that pertains to
writing and English.
ACADEMIC
PREPARATION
WEEK FIVE DAY
THREE
Lesson
Title:
Geometry Square Roots
Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: Math
Learning
Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels
Lesson
Length: One
hour
Instruction
Type: Class
discussion, individual practice and application
Overview
/ Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to help students
understand the square roots and be able to identify and solve square root
problems on the GED examination.
Learning
Objectives / Skills:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to
identify
Skills:
Math, problem solving, knowing how to learn, reasoning, monitors and corrects
performance
Materials
/ Equipment Needed:
GED
book with square roots exercises
Paper
and pencils
Chalkboard
and chalk
How
to Prepare:
The instructor should be
familiar with what square roots are, what types of square root problems are used
on the GED exam, and how to solve square roots problems.
Introduction
/ Warm Up / Review:
Write (vertically) the numbers 4, 9, 16, and 25 on
the board. Ask students to look at the numbers and decide if there is a number
that can be multiplied by itself to equal each of the numbers. Give students the
opportunity to work it out on paper. As they work it out, draw the square root
symbol over the number listed on the board and an equal sign with the correct
answer. Repeat the process for each of the numbers listed on the board.
Presentation
of Lesson:
Have
students turn to their GED books to a page that has a list of common square
roots. Have students look at the list and note any patterns. For instance,
numbers with zeros at the end. Have students copy the list down and allow them
some time to memorize or become familiar with the list.
Practice
/ Activity:
Explain to students that there are several methods
for finding square roots:
1.
Estimate the square root by using knowledge of common square roots.
2.
Averaging.
3.
Use the answers that are provided for on a multiple-choice question.
Have students practice each of the methods with some
examples that you put on the board. For some examples, use a GED text with these
three methods listed.
Application / Transfer:
Have students complete square
root problems listed in the GED book. The problems require using simple
multiplication skills. Encourage students to glance at multiple choice answers
as they are working the methods. They may combine the methods to help them
estimate the answer.
Reflection
by Teacher:
Were
students able to identify and solve square roots?
Planning
for Next Lesson:
Encourage
students follow-up with GED software in Technology. Students will study the
Pythagorean theory in the next lesson. Review the square roots chart at the
beginning of the next class.
Lesson
Title:
Interpreting Non-Fiction
Subject
Matter:
Academic: Reading/Writing
Learning
Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels
Lesson
Length: One
hour
Instruction
Type:
Individual, small group
Overview
/ Rationale:
The
purpose of this activity is to provide students with practice reading and
interpreting newspaper articles.
Learning
Objective / Skills:
At the completion of this lesson, students will be
able to identify the source, author and purpose of an assigned newspaper
article. They will be able to determine if the author’s viewpoint is
subjective or objective, discuss the main points of the article, extract key
facts from the article, and prepare a series of questions for a fellow classmate
to answer.
Skills:
Reading, Critical Thinking, Interpreting and Communicating Information
Copies
of two articles on hot jobs from the Washington Post
Handout:
Questions to be Answered, one for each
student
How
to Prepare:
In today’s lesson, students
will be reading an article from the Washington Post that profiles a
worker in a growing profession. After reading the article, they will discuss in
a small group what are the pros and cons of this job and whether or not they
would be interested in learning more about this field. They will also prepare a
series of questions to be used as a comprehension check for another group of
students.
Introduction
/ Warm Up / Review:
Review with the students what
they know about non-fiction and what are some good strategies for interpreting
what they read. For example, identifying the author’s purpose for writing the
piece, determining if the author uses an objective or subjective style, and
being aware of the source and date of the material.
Presentation
of Lesson:
Divide the class into two groups. Each group will read a different article but will answer the same questions. Review the questions with the whole class before handing out the articles. Be sure everyone is clear about the questions and the assignment.
Practice /
Activity:
Distribute the articles and questions to the students. When students have finished reading and briefly answered the questions independently, have them form two discussion groups, one for each article, to discuss the reading and their answers to the questions. Ask one member from each group to briefly describe their findings to the whole class.
Application /
Transfer:
Have each student compose a study guide or comprehension check for his/her article. First , the student should review his/her article again and write down 5 to 10 interesting and important facts, ideas or opinions from the article. From this list, each student is to compose a set of questions that will be answered by a classmate tomorrow. Explain to the students that this is also a good strategy to use when studying for a test. By selecting the important information and composing questions about the material, one is reviewing and aiding one’s memory at the same time.
* Students will need to save both their list of important facts and their questions for use in tomorrow’s lesson.
Reflection by
Teacher:
When checking the questions that the students have composed, the teacher will be able to determine if the students have identified the key points of the articles and if they have been able to write questions in the correct format. If question formation is a problem, some time can be spent at the beginning of the next class to review this and to make any needed corrections before the questions are given to a classmate.
Planning for Next
Lesson:
Students will need the questions and lists they composed today to do tomorrow' s work. It assumes that students are familiar with dependent and independent clauses and have some knowledge of conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs.
Handout
QUESTIONS
TO BE ANSWERED BY EACH GROUP
1.
What is the title of the article?
2.
Who is the author?
3.
What is the source for this article?
4.
When was the article written?
As you read the article, consider:
1.
Are the author’s opinions expressed (subjective viewpoint) or does
he/she keep to the facts (objective viewpoint)? Why do think so?
2.
What are the positives and negatives of the job that is being described?
3. Is this a field of employment you would be interested in learning more about?
Why or why not?
After you have read the article and answered the above questions, join your classmates who have read the same article and discuss your answers.
ACADEMIC
PREPARATION
WEEK FIVE DAY
FOUR
Lesson
Title:
Geometry: Pythagorean Theory
Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: Math
Learning
Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels
Lesson
Length: One
hour
Instruction
Type: Class
discussion, individual practice and application
Overview
/ Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to help students
understand the special relationship among the sides of a right triangle. This
relationship is called the Pythagorean Theorem, named after the Greek
mathematician who discovered it.
Learning
Objectives / Skills:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to
identify when to use the theory and be able to solve triangle problems.
Skills:
Math, problem solving, knowing how to learn, reasoning, monitors and corrects
performance
Materials
/ Equipment Needed:
GED
book with angles exercises
Paper
and pencils
Chalkboard
and chalk
How
to Prepare:
The instructor should be familiar with what triangles are, what types are used on the GED exam, and how to solve triangle problems using the Pythagorean Theory.
Introduction
/ Warm Up / Review:
Review square roots with students. Have them call out
some common square roots and list them on the board.
Have students recall what a right triangle is. Draw
an example of one on the board, listing the length of two of the sides (9 and 16
would be good examples). The long side should be un-numbered, representing the
hypotenuse.
Then ask students what information is missing. They
should say the length of the side without a number. Ask them if that side is
longer or shorter than the other sides. They should say longer. Label it as
‘hypotenuse’ and let students know that the hypotenuse is always the longest
side. Write ‘c2 = hypotenuse’ on the board. That is the first part of the
formula.
Presentation
of Lesson:
Get students to tell you what the square root for 9 is and also for 16. Write the answers on the board 3squared and 4squared. Write the formula for the theory on the board (c squared = a squared + b squared) Get students to help you plug in the numbers from the example. They won’t have a number yet for the hypotenuse, but they can put the three and the nine in the a and b slots.
Show students how to work the formula, but try to get them to walk you through it by recalling square root skills learned previously.
Practice
/ Activity:
Turn to a GED text page that has examples that
feature the Pythagorean Theorem. Have students work through several example
problems with a partner. The examples should include how to solve for the length
of a hypotenuse as well as a missing side of a triangle. When someone has a
question, stop the class and work the question on the board, if it pertains to
solving the example.
After students have finished working together with
their partner, bring the class back together to solve the example problems as a
group. Use the blackboard for instruction and walk through each problem, why you
plugged in numbers and where, how to solve the square root first and then add,
and how one part of the equation will be solved last when the other numbers have
provided an answer.
Application
/ Transfer:
Have students work individually on some right
triangle problems using the Pythagorean Theorem. Lend assistance when necessary.
When students have finished the problems, review as a class and go over any
areas where students had difficulty.
Students should review this and other geometry
assignments for homework.
Reflection
by Teacher:
Students will need to be able to convert word problems into pictures and they should feel comfortable with that translation, as well as plugging numbers into the appropriate places in the formula.
Planning
for Next Lesson:
Encourage students follow-up with GED software in
Technology. Students will study geometry word problems in the next lesson.
Review the geometry formulas and applications that have been learned so far at
the beginning of the next lesson. Review problem solving for geometry in a GED
text.
Lesson
Title: Best
Qualities of a Good Employee
Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: Academic: Reading/Writing
Learning
Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels
Lesson
Length: One
hour
Instruction
Type: Class
discussion, individual practice and application
Overview
/ Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to focus on personal
qualities valued by employers, to help students identify and understand these as
well as to articulate their own strengths in a persuasive paragraph.
Learning
Objectives / Skills:
At the end of this lesson, the student will be able
to list personal qualities which are valuable in the workplace, skim a worksheet
for necessary information and write a persuasive paragraph about why he/she
should be hired.
Skills:
Reading, Writing, Decision Making, and Self-Management
Materials
/ Equipment Needed:
Handout:
One copy of the SCANS personal qualities list for each student (This list was
used by students in day 1 of week 5).
Transparency
of the same list for the teacher
Highlighters
Overhead
Projector
How
to Prepare:
In today’s lesson students
are going to read about the kinds of personal qualities which are valued by
employers, identify their own strengths, and write a persuasive paragraph
informing an employer why they should be hired. This will prepare them for job
interviews when you are asked the question: “Why
should I hire you?”
Introduction
/ Warm Up / Review:
Brainstorm with the class the best qualities of a
good employee. List them on the board or overhead. For example, students may
identify: honest, reliable, punctual, etc. Have students copy this list.
Presentation
of Lesson:
Give each student the section of the SCANS report
which identifies the personal qualities which are most valued by employers in
today’s workplace. Read the five main headings together, discuss what is meant
by each term.
Ask students to skim the SCANS article for the items
on the class-generated list. Highlight these on the SCANS worksheet and write
the SCANS word next to the list word. Inform
students that in some cases they may find a synonym is used, for example, if the
students had identified being flexible as a desirable personal quality, they may
identify and highlight adaptability.
Practice
/ Activity:
Have students create a third
list of qualities that are identified on the SCAN worksheet but not on their
original list.
Teacher elicits these from students and lists them on
her transparency. Discuss what each of these mean and why employers would value
it. Discuss those qualities which were contained on the students’ own list but
not included on the SCANS worksheet.
Application / Transfer:
Using the five personal qualities they have
identified for themselves, ask students to write a persuasive paragraph on the
topic: Why should I hire you. Remind students that a good paragraph contains a
topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence.
Have students read their paragraphs to each other and evaluate whether or not the writer made a clear and persuasive argument. Was there a clear topic sentence? Were the supporting sentences relevant to the topic? Was the concluding sentence a strong summary of the paragraph?
Ask students how they might
use this information in a job interview.
Ask students to take a few
moments to reflect on the lists of personal qualities and select five that they
think characterize themselves. Jot these down in their journal with a short
description of why these qualities apply to them. For example, I am very
goal-oriented. I set clear goals for myself and carry through with those goals;
or, I am punctual. I always arrive at work and at school on time.
Reflection
by Teacher:
Were
students able to formulate a paragraph that made a clear and persuasive argument
about why they should be hired?
Planning
for Next Lesson:
Students
will continue with writing exercises for the next week. Encourage students to
review the writing exercises in their GED book.
ACADEMIC
PREPARATION
WEEK FIVE DAY
FIVE
Lesson
Title:
Geometry: Word Problems
Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: Math
Learning
Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels
Lesson
Length: Two
hours
Instruction
Type: Class
discussion, individual practice and application
Overview
/ Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to help students
understand how to solve word problems with geometry topics.
Learning
Objectives / Skills:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to
identify when to use problem-solving skills, be able to use the formulas page,
and be able to solve geometry word problems.
Skills:
Math, problem solving, knowing how to learn, reasoning, monitors and corrects
performance
Materials
/ Equipment Needed:
GED
book with word problems exercises and Geometry formulas
Paper
and pencils
Chalkboard
and chalk
How
to Prepare:
The instructor should be
familiar with how to use a geometry formulas page and how to teach students how
to access the formulas for problem solving.
Introduction
/ Warm Up / Review:
Review geometry formulas with students. Have students
turn to the geometry formulas page and review the formulas listed. Ask
appropriate questions pertaining to geometry formulas, such as the difference
between area and perimeter, etc.
Assign a problem from the text for each of the
formulas listed. Allow students time to complete the problems, about thirty
minutes.
Presentation
of Lesson:
Go over key words for each of the formulas listed on the
formulas page. Shapes, length, width, tall, long, distance, flat surface,
figures are clues to what is being measured.
Facilitate a discussion on finding clues by having
students find problems in their book that have descriptive words in the problem.
Categorize the words into formulas such as area, perimeter, etc. Have students
copy down the list.
Practice
/ Activity:
Write the following on the board:
1. Read the problem carefully.
2. Describe what you are dealing with and what formula applies.
3. Decide which formula to use and solve.
Review the list with students and answer any questions
they have.
Turn to a GED text page that has examples of geometry
word problems. Have students work through an example problem with a partner.
Have each pair team-teach their problem to each other.
After students have finished working together with
their partner, bring the class back together to solve the example problems as a
group. If pairs are comfortable, give them the opportunity to team-teach their
problem to the class. Use the blackboard for instruction and walk through each
problem, why you plugged in numbers and where, how to solve word problems.
Application
/ Transfer:
Have students work individually on geometry word
problems. Lend assistance when necessary. When students have finished the
problems, review as a class and go over any areas where students had difficulty.
Students should review this and other geometry
assignments for homework.
Reflection
by Teacher:
Students will need to be able to convert word problems
into pictures and they should feel comfortable with that translation, as well as
plugging numbers into the appropriate places in the formula.
Planning
for Next Lesson:
Encourage students follow-up with GED software in
Technology. Review the geometry formulas and applications that have been learned
so far at the beginning of the next lesson. Review problem solving for geometry
in a GED text. Students will begin work on signed numbers next week. Review all
academic lessons for the coming week.