Gallichio Triangles Text Set 2

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Triangles Text Set
Text Set: Triangles
By Jenna Gallichio
University of South Carolina
EDRD 732 – Dr. Victoria Oglan

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Triangles Text Set
Information Page
Content Area: Geometry
Level(s): 9th – 11th
Text Set Theme: Properties of Triangles (and special right triangles)
Content Standards:
 GM.1* - Use geometric shapes, their measures, and their properties to describe real-
world objects.
 GM.2 – Use geometry concepts and methods to model real-world situations and solve
problems using a model.
 GSRT.2* - Use the definition of similarity to decide if figures are similar and justify
decisions. Demonstrate that two figures are similar by identifying a combination of
translations, rotations, reflections, and dilations in various representations that move one
figure onto the other.
 GSRT.3* - Prove that two triangles are similar using the Angle-Angle criterion and apply
the proportionality of corresponding sides to solve problems and justify results.
 GSRT.4 – Prove, and apply in mathematical and real-world contexts, theorems involving
similarity about triangles, including the following
o The square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of squares of
the other two sides.
 GSRT.5* - Use congruence and similarity criteria for triangles to solve problems and to
prove relationships in geometric figures.

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 GSRT.6* - Understand how the properties of similar right triangles allow the
trigonometric ratios to be defined and determine the sine, cosine, and tangent of an acute
angle in a right triangle.
 GSRT.7 – Explain and use the relationship between the sine and cosine of
complementary angles.
 GSRT.8* - Solve right triangles in applied problems using trigonometric ratios and the
Pythagorean Theorem.
 G.GCO.7* - Prove two triangles are congruent by applying the Side-Angle-Side, Angle-
Side-Angle, Angle-Angle-Side, and Hypotenuse-Leg congruence conditions.
 G.GCO.8* - Prove and apply in mathematical and real-world contexts, theorems about
lines and angles.
 G.GCO.9* - Prove, and apply in mathematical and real-world contexts, theorems about
the relationships within and among triangles, including the following:
o Measures of interior angles of a triangle sun to 180 degrees;
o Base angels of isosceles triangles are congruent.
SC Literacy Standards:
 Transact with texts to formulate questions, propose explanations, and consider alternative
views and multiple perspectives.
 Construct knowledge, applying disciplinary concepts and tools, to build deeper
understanding of the world through exploration, collaboration, and analysis
 Reflect throughout the inquiry process to assess metacognition, broaden understanding,
and guide actions, both individually and collaboratively.

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 Integrate an information (cueing) system that includes meaning (semantics), structure
(syntax), visual (graphophonic), and pragmatics (schematic) to make meaning from text.
 Gain understanding by applying reading strategies of monitoring, searching, confirming,
cross-checking, rereading, and self-correcting.
 Employ comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading text using schema,
annotating, questioning, visualizing, drawing inferences, determining importance,
summarizing, and synthesizing.
 Use metacognition to monitor meaning and adjust strategies while reading
 Use active and attentive communication skills, building on other’s ideas to explore, learn,
enjoy, argue, and exchange information.
 Acquire vocabulary from multiple forms of communication; use newly acquired
vocabulary to appropriately communicate in a variety of situations and contexts.
 Produce writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, discipline, and audience.
 Extend and deepen understanding of content through purposeful, authentic, real-world
tasks to show understanding and integration of content within and across disciplines.
 Use clear and coherent written language to accomplish a purpose such as learning,
enjoyment, argument, and the exchange of information.

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Table of Contents
Picture Books
Adler, D. A. (2014). Triangles. (E. Miller, Illus.). Holiday House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Ellis, J. (2014). What's Your Angle, Pythagoras? A Math Adventure. (P. Hornung, Illus.).
Charlesbridge Publishing, U.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Graphic Novels
Thielbar, M. (2010). The Book Bandit: A Mystery with Geometry. (C. Chow & J. M. Lee,
Illus.). Lerner Publishing Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Mathematical Literature
Enzensberger, H. M. (2010). The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure. (M. H.
Heim, Trans., R. S. Berner, Illus.). St. Martin's Griffin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Informational Texts
Mlodinow, L. (2002). Euclid's Window: The Story of Geometry From Parallel Lines to
Hyperspace. Simon & Schuster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
TED-Ed Talks
Fei, B. (n.d.). How Many Ways are There to Prove the Pythagorean Theorem? TED-Ed.
Retrieved October 17, 2021, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-many-ways-are-
there-to-prove-the-pythagorean-theorem-betty-fei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Gendler, A. (n.d.). Can You Solve the Alice in Wonderland Riddle? TED-Ed. Retrieved
October 17, 2021, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/can-you-solve-the-alice-in-
wonderland-riddle-alex-gendler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Infographics
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Mocomi. (n.d.). Types of Triangles. Visual.ly. Retrieved October 17, 2021, from
https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/education/types-triangles. . . . . . . . . . 37
Songs
Scalar Learning. (2017). Special Right Triangles Song - A Musical Rendition (Math Help
for Sat Test From Singing Tutor). YouTube. Retrieved October 17, 2021, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEz2Am1lss8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Picture Set
Hughes, D. T. (2021, June 7). Totally Terrific Triangles in Architecture & Interiors.
Yellowtrace. Retrieved October 17, 2021, from
https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/triangles-in-
architecture/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
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Picture Books
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Triangles
Adler, D. A. (2014). Triangles. (E. Miller, Illus.). Holiday House.
1. Summary:
“Formed of three sides and three angles, triangles are everywhere—especially on the pages of
this book, where two kids and their robot friend assemble a brand-new bot from different types
and sizes of triangles. This title defines important geometry vocabulary in simple, accessible
terms, reinforcing the text with illustrations of the different types of and relationships between
triangles. Activities on identifying, measuring, and comparing angles help readers understand
these important ideas. Drawing on his years of experience teaching math, David Adler's text
thoroughly introduces fundamental mathematical concepts. Colorfully illustrated by nonfiction
veteran Ed Miller, this book is perfect for readers just beginning to study shapes and geometry.”
(From Amazon.com) https://www.amazon.com/Triangles-David-Adler/dp/0823433056
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I really like the idea of incorporating multiple forms of literacy into the math classroom,
and what better way to introduce new concepts than through a story with a bunch of pictures.
The book Triangles by David A. Adler is a perfect introduction into the unit on triangles and
right triangles in the high school geometry setting. This book will help remind students of their
prior knowledge of triangles while also introducing some newer concepts these students may not
have seen yet. Being a picture book, Triangles helps students grasp the new concepts with visual
depictions of the information as well as a story to help them make connections with the new
material to their prior knowledge.
b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – Vocabulary Self Awareness
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Triangles Text Set
Before students read the picture book, I would have them participate in the before reading
activity, vocabulary self-awareness. This requires the students to get a feel of the vocabulary we
will be using in the unit without providing them any definitions. Vocabulary Self Awareness is a
strategy in which teachers provide students with a list of target vocabulary for the lesson, yet
students can add their own vocabulary words to the list as they read the text. Before reading
students go through the list and mark the words with a “+” if they know the word and can
provide both a definition and example in their own words, a check if they can only provide one
of the two, or “-“ if the word is brand new to them. Students will see a range of words from
triangle, acute, and scalene to vertex, angle, and right triangle. Through completion of this
activity students will have thought back on their own prior knowledge of triangles and will have
attempted to create examples and definitions of the provided words. During reading they will add
on to their lists, and after they finish reading the text, they can revise their definitions and
examples. The book Triangles is dense with information, but it is made to be easier to
comprehend in the picture book style with kid friendly definitions. We will continue to use these
words throughout the course, which is why I would have students work in groups and share their
definitions and examples to further everyone’s understanding of the concepts, after they revise
their own work post reading.
3. Connecting to the SC Mathematics Standards:
world objects.

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Triangles and the Vocabulary Self Awareness strategy helps students see concrete real-world
examples of key vocabulary and concepts present in a geometry classroom (GM.1*). Students
will see examples of vertices, angles, and different types of triangles present in the book and will
need to come up with their own examples of the same phenomena in their own world. The book
also defines how triangles are similar and how they classify into the same groups, even if one
triangle is a “flipped” version of the original, or if one is just a smaller version of the same
triangle, or other things of that nature (GSRT.2*) and students will define what it means for a
triangle to be similar in their own words in the activity. Also, Students will have a basic
understanding of what it means for a triangle to be congruent and will be encouraged to include
instances of congruence and what that implies for the triangles in their examples (differentiated
learning if students are completely comfortable with all the other definitions and examples, they
will make their own problems and list them in the examples column of their notes).
4. Connecting to the SC Literacy Standards:
In my own understanding of how I would use this text and the strategy together, students would
be “Construct[ing] knowledge, apply[ing] disciplinary concepts and tools, to build deeper
understanding of the world through collaboration and analysis” by making meaning for the
vocabulary presented in the text, while also creating their own real world examples and sharing
them with their peers, where they can verify that each example is a good example of the term
(analyzing the new definitions). They will have to think about their own thinking process
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(metacognition) as they are reading and determine if their definitions or examples need to be
revised, if they need to add more words to their list, or if they should continue reading how they
currently are. They will be using a cueing system to create their own meaning through words and
visual representations of the text to understand the concepts presented. They will “Gain
understanding by applying reading strategies of monitoring, searching, confirming, cross-
checking, rereading, and self-correcting” in the process of their during and after reading sections
of the activity to revise their own definitions. And in the group work portion of the activity, they
will “Use active and attentive communication skills, building on other’s ideas to explore, learn,
enjoy, argue, and exchange information” on their own examples and definitions, clarifying any
muddy points their peers may still be unsure of.

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What’s Your Angle Pythagoras? A Math Adventure
Charlesbridge Publishing, U.S.
1. Summary:
“Children can test their math skills and learn the Pythagorean Theorem alongside young
Pythagoras in this STEM adventure. Pythagoras’ curiosity takes him from Samos to Alexandria,
where he meets a builder named Neferheperhersekeper, who introduces him to the right angle.
While building, Pythagoras uses geometry to learn how to measure angles and discovers all he
needs to know about right triangles. With playful puns and wordplay Ellis creates the perfect
STEM/STEAM resource for introducing young readers to a fundamental mathematical equation.
A fun and accessible way to get young minds asking, ‘what’s your angle?’.” (From
penguinrandomhouse.com) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/238501/whats-your-
angle-pythagoras-by-julie-ellis-author-phyllis-hornung-illustrator/
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I want to introduce students to the Pythagorean Theorem in a very basic visual format
which will help students see how Pythagoras developed his theorem as well as why it is
important in the real world today. The Pythagorean Theorem is a major topic that geometry
students are expected to learn and understand. But I know something that seems as simple as a^2
+ b^2 = c^2 can be hard for students to understand, especially if they don’t understand where it
came from or why they need to use it today. We will also go through different ways of proving
the Pythagorean Theorem later in the class, so having a good understanding of what the theorem
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is and what it means in a mathematical context will help the students develop their own proofs
later on.
b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – Read Aloud
A read aloud would be perfect for this book as it is short (it’s a picture book), it has content
presented in the book that students may not have seen before (the Pythagorean Theorem), and I
can model my own critical thinking and metacognitive processes to the class as we read the book
together. Through read-alouds, teachers can express their own interest and enthusiasm
surrounding the topic, which can hook their students in as well, or at least pique their interest in
the topic. I would also include students in the read aloud and pause to check for student
understanding by asking them about prior knowledge, similar instances, or even predictions
about the story. After the reading I would try to encourage students to think of scenarios of when
they could see applications of the Pythagorean Theorem in the classroom or in the real world,
how they might go about solving problems with the Pythagorean Theorem, what information
they would need to use the theorem, and other inquiry-based questions to get them more engaged
with the topic on a higher level.

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Students will have the chance to talk about real world examples of the Pythagorean Theorem,
how they think they would see the theorem get used in a problem, and what a problem would be
asking them to solve for by using the theorem. The read aloud gives students the chance to see a
complex mathematical theorem that appears in many mathematical fields, in a visual
representation designed so that children could understand the concepts behind it. Too many times
students are just told that they need to know the theorem without any reason behind why they
need to learn it or how it was developed. The read aloud activity gives students the space needed
to be able to use the concept of the Pythagorean Theorem in a real world context, students have
the freedom to create their own potential problems or models that rely on the use of the theorem,
and they learn a basic proof why “the square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the
sum of squares of the other two sides.” In a differentiated learning classroom, students who are
very comfortable with the new concept and are comfortable creating situations or problems in
which they would use the Pythagorean Theorem would then solve their peers’ questions about
right triangles using the theorem.
Students will “transact with texts to formulate questions, propose explanations, and consider
alternative views and multiple perspectives” as they determine when they would use the
Pythagorean Theorem in this class as well as the real world. As a class we will “employ
comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading text using schema, annotating,
questioning, visualizing, drawing inferences, determining importance, summarizing, and
synthesizing” through my modeling of metacognitive practices as well as asking questions for

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students to deepen their own understanding of the text. And through the exchange of thoughts
before, during, and after the reading, students will “use active and attentive communication
skills, building on other’s ideas to explore, learn, enjoy, argue, and exchange information,”
especially about each other’s predictions, while using “newly acquired vocabulary to
appropriately communicate in a variety of situations and contexts.”

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Graphic Novels
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The Book Bandit: A Mystery with Geometry
Thielbar, M. (2010). The Book Bandit: A Mystery with Geometry. (C. Chow & J. M. Lee, Illus.).
Lerner Publishing Group.
1. Summary:
“The science club has created a big "book bandit" sculpture in the public library. But how did
they get the sculpture in through the tiny library window? The librarians offer a prize to whoever
can figure out the puzzle. The kids from Sifu Faiza's Kung Fu School know they can win, but it
will take all of their geometry skills plus some unexpected cooperation to size up . . . The Book
Bandit.” (From mathsthroughstories.org) https://www.mathsthroughstories.org/the-book-bandit-
a-mystery-with-geometry.html
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I never had the chance to read any graphic novels for a class assignment in my schooling
career, but I have learned just how important they are in my children’s literature class, especially
for English language learners or students with limited vocabulary. The pictures can help students
visualize the concepts while making meaning of those concepts at the same time. I love that this
graphic novel is all about geometry and how it is applied to the real world, so not only will
students see concepts they are already familiar with at this point in the school year (parallel lines,
etc.) they will also see how triangles are used in real settings and not just school math problems.
Students will also be able to follow along the thought process of solving some geometry
problems and will hopefully be able to predict some of the conclusions and solutions before they
are done reading the book. It is a shorter read, but this book will actively help students develop
their metacognition as they try to solve the mystery as they read along in the book.
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b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – Directed Reading-Thinking
Activity
In a DR-TA, students first start by activating their prior knowledge of the subject, in this case
it will be geometry and space. Next, they will make predictions about what the text might be
about: this book is titled “The Book Bandit: A Mystery with Geometry” so students will have to
determine what the main idea might be, if there will be a clear answer at the end, and what the
mystery might be about. Then students will read portions of the text (already determined by the
teacher before the activity) and they will have to evaluate their predictions, were they on the
right track, do they need to revise their prediction, do they think the book is about something else
entirely? Lastly the class will come back together and talk about their predictions, how those
predictions evolved, and create a summary of the book themselves.
world objects.
Throughout the book, the main characters use geometry facts to solve the mystery of how the
large sculpture was able to get into the library through the small window. There are real
applications present of all kinds of geometric concepts throughout the book and I will encourage
students to work through the problems at the same time as or before the main characters can
solve the problems in the text. In this way I am encouraging student understanding of the real-
world concepts while also providing them with some time for guided practice with the concepts,
techniques, and formulas.

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Students will again “transact with texts to formulate questions, propose explanations, and
consider alternative views and multiple perspectives” as they complete the DR-TA and read
through the story. Through teacher created questions which provoke thought and inquiry, not just
a summarization of what happened in the text. Students will also “reflect throughout the inquiry
process to assess metacognition, broaden understanding, and guide actions, both individually and
collaboratively as they make predictions in their DR-TA that they will share with the class and
determine if those predictions were correct or needed to be adjusted based on the story. Students
must also “integrate an information (cueing) system that includes meaning (semantics), structure
(syntax), visuals (graphophonic), and pragmatics (schematic) to make meaning from the text”
which in turn will guide their predictions and assessment of their predictions as the continue to
read the text. And they will also “use active and attentive communication skills, building on
other’s ideas to explore, learn, enjoy, argue, and exchange information” when they share out
their previous predictions, how they evaluated if they were on the right track, and if they were
able to predict the end of the story.

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Mathematical Literature
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The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure
Enzensberger, H. M. (2010). The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure. (M. H. Heim,
Trans., R. S. Berner, Illus.). St. Martin's Griffin.
1. Summary:
“In twelve dreams, Robert, a boy who hates math, meets a Number Devil, who leads him to
discover the amazing world of numbers: infinite numbers, prime numbers, Fibonacci numbers,
numbers that magically appear in triangles, and numbers that expand without end. As we dream
with him, we are taken further and further into mathematical theory, where ideas eventually take
flight, until everyone—from those who fumble over fractions to those who solve complex
equations in their heads—winds up marveling at what numbers can do. Hans Magnus
Enzensberger is a true polymath, the kind of superb intellectual who loves thinking and marshals
all of his charm and wit to share his passions with the world. In The Number Devil, he brings
together the surreal logic of Alice in Wonderland and the existential geometry of Flatland with
the kind of math everyone would love, if only they had a number devil to teach them.” (From
macmillan.com) https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780805062991
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I picked this book because a lot of students tend to hate their math classes, they do not
see the value of learning the material of the class, and they always think “when am I going to
ever use this?” The main character in this book also hates math, both learning it and the idea of
it, but when he meets the Number Devil, he discovers just how interesting math can be and how
prevalent it can be in the real-world. This book also covers a great deal on proofs and explains
them in a comprehensive way, so that any student can understand the concepts behind proofs. I
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know how challenging proofs are to students, especially when this geometry class is the first
time, they will encounter anything of the sorts, but seeing someone who hates math slowly
become ok with writing proofs might help them be more open to the idea of proofs given this
window of a book.
b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – Anticipation Guide
I would use an anticipation guide to pique student interest in the mathematical concepts that will
be presented in this book. There are a lot of analogies and interesting mathematical facts
presented in this book, as well as a basis starting ground for proof writing. The anticipation guide
increases student interest and understanding of the material as it encourages students to make
predictions based on snippets the teacher writes (I would pick some of the cool facts presented in
the book, some weird analogies that students wouldn’t think of before being introduced to them
in the book, and some guidance for making proofs) and evaluate their predictions after they read.
Students must explain their reasoning for their answers after reading the text with support from
the text itself, this helps check for student comprehension of the content as well.
 G.GCO.7* - Prove two triangles are congruent by applying the Side-Angle-Side, Angle-
Side-Angle, Angle-Angle-Side, and Hypotenuse-Leg congruence conditions.

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 G.GCO.8* - Prove and apply in mathematical and real-world contexts, theorems about
lines and angles.
Students will read about how to create a solid geometric proof and we will practice writing
some of our own after completing the Anticipation Guide activity to hook them in on what a
mathematical proof is and the structure of a proof. At this point in the text set students should
already understand that the interior angles of a triangle add up to 180 degrees and they have
should have seen the Pythagorean Theorem, so they will hone their focus on writing proofs
themselves, after completing this activity. The Anticipation Guide will get them to start thinking
about the format of a proof and the text will show them some basic proof examples while
explaining the idea behind proofs.
Students will focus mainly on comprehension of the text and of the format of writing a proof
in this activity. The anticipation guide will be structured to get students thinking about the format
of a proof and practice their own proof writing. They will need to “construct knowledge, apply
disciplinary concepts and tools, to build deeper understanding of the world” through exploration
and analysis of the text and basic proofs. They will also use their cueing system to make meaning
from the text, and they will “gain understanding by applying reading strategies of monitoring,
searching, confirming, cross-checking, rereading, and self-correcting” as they evaluate if their
original predictions were correct or need to be revise, and they need to find evidence to back up
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their reasoning. Also, after they complete the Anticipation Guide they will have already revised a
couple of short proofs and will move on to create proofs of their own, in this case they will
“produce writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, discipline, and audience.”

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Informational Texts
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Euclid’s Window: The Story of Geometry from Parallel Lines to Hyperspace
Mlodinow, L. (2002). Euclid's Window: The Story of Geometry from Parallel Lines to
Hyperspace. Simon & Schuster.
1. Summary:
“Through Euclid's Window Leonard Mlodinow brilliantly and delightfully leads us on a
journey through five revolutions in geometry, from the Greek concept of parallel lines to the
latest notions of hyperspace. Here is an altogether new, refreshing, alternative history of math
revealing how simple questions anyone might ask about space -- in the living room or in some
other galaxy -- have been the hidden engine of the highest achievements in science and
technology. Based on Mlodinow's extensive historical research; his studies alongside colleagues
such as Richard Feynman and Kip Thorne; and interviews with leading physicists and
mathematicians such as Murray Gell-Mann, Edward Witten, and Brian Greene, Euclid's
Window is an extraordinary blend of rigorous, authoritative investigation and accessible, good-
humored storytelling that makes a stunningly original argument asserting the primacy of
geometry. For those who have looked through Euclid's Window, no space, no thing, and no time
will ever be quite the same.” (From Amazon.com) https://www.amazon.com/Euclids-Window-
Geometry-Parallel-Hyperspace/dp/0684865246
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I wanted to provide the students a chance to read about the history of geometry, who this
Euclid person is that we will keep referencing, and why his work is still applicable today. This
gives students the chance to explore some concepts that will are still going to cover in the course,
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some that will be more advanced than this class will explore, and how geometry connects to
other fields, especially in science.
b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – Jigsaw
I would break this informational text up into sections based on each key historical figure of
geometry and their major accomplishments in the field. Jigsaw is a strategy in which the teacher
provides multiple texts or sections of a text to groups (in my case I would need groups of five)
and each student in the group would be an expert assigned to a specific text or portion of the text.
Then the groups will break out into their expert groups where they will discuss the major ideas
and themes presented in their section of the text and the information, they think is important for
their classmates to know as well. Once they are given an ample amount of time to read and
discuss the text, they return to their original home groups where each student then shares the
important information about the text they just discussed in their expert groups.
world objects.
trigonometric ratios to be defined and determine the sine, cosine, and tangent of an acute
angle in a right triangle.
The text focuses on the accomplishments of the five major mathematicians that changed the
field of geometry. Their major accomplishments include discovering that geometry is present
everywhere in the real-world, how you can use sine, cosine, and tangent to determine the sides or
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angles that are missing in right (and non-right, the law of sines and cosines) triangles, and the
relationship between sine and cosine in complementary angles. In this activity students will learn
about the different accomplishments made by the mathematicians they are assigned and will
become experts and need to teach their classmates these important concepts.
Students will have to use their metacognitive skills to verify that they understand what they
are reading and that they understand the concepts presented in the text. This text is a little on the
denser side, so I will have to provide ample time for students to read and converse with their
expert groups so that they are comfortable teaching their peers in their jigsaw groups. They will
“gain understanding by applying reading strategies of monitoring, searching, confirming, cross-
checking, rereading, and self-correcting” to determine the main ideas of their assigned sections
and evaluate if they understand the information presented. They will also be “using active and
attentive communication skills, building on other’s ideas to explore, learn, argue, and exchange
information” as they discuss within the expert and home groups about the information they just
read.
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TED Ed Talks
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How Many Ways Are There to Prove the Pythagorean Theorem?
Retrieved October 17, 2021, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-many-ways-are-there-
to-prove-the-pythagorean-theorem-betty-fei.
1. Summary:
“What do Euclid, 12-year-old Einstein, and American President James Garfield have in
common? They all came up with elegant proofs for the famous Pythagorean theorem, one of the
most fundamental rules of geometry and the basis for practical applications like constructing
stable buildings and triangulating GPS coordinates. Betty Fei details these three famous proofs.”
(From ed.ted.com) https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-many-ways-are-there-to-prove-the-
pythagorean-theorem-betty-fei
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I think it is important for students to see that any math problem, especially proofs, can be
solved in multiple ways, to prove to them that there is not one right answer for anything in our
class. I also really like how the video explains how students could go about proving the
Pythagorean Theorem in three ways just in the video, but that there are over 200 ways to prove
this important theorem.
b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – Conversation Roundtable
I like this strategy since students get the chance to explain what they thought of the video in
groups and this activity holds everyone accountable for participating. First students will watch
the video as a class, then they will break out into groups where they will be given a sheet of
paper separated into quadrants with a rhombus in the middle. Each student will have time to
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Triangles Text Set
provide their thoughts on the video to the group, and once everyone has spoken (each quadrant is
for one group), they make a summary in the rhombus. I also would add a twist onto this activity
and on the back side of the sheet I would have students work in a group to solve a triangle with
the Pythagorean Theorem, one quadrant would be their own picture of the problem, another
would be an explanation of the problem, the third will be their guess without any work, and the
last quadrant would have them check their estimate by using the theorem. They can they write
their solution in the rhombus.
Students will see three different proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem in the video and will
discuss what they liked or did not understand from the proofs in their conversation roundtables.
They will also have the chance to solve a real-world example of the Pythagorean Theorem on the
backside of their handout and they will have to determine as a group what values they need
based on usage of the theorem.

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Triangles Text Set
Students will “construct knowledge, applying disciplinary concepts and tools, to build deeper
understanding of the world through exploration, collaboration, and analysis” as they watch the
video about the Pythagorean Theorem, they work through a real-world problem involving the
theorem in their groups, and they determine how they would use the theorem in that application.
They will also extend and deepen understanding of content through purposeful, authentic, real-
world tasks to show understanding and integration of content within and across disciplines” as
they are given a science problem on their worksheet but will need to use the Pythagorean
Theorem to solve it. Also, students will need to write about the topic as they “use active and
attentive communication skills, building on other’s ideas to explore, learn, enjoy, argue, and
exchange information” as they express their opinions on the video and share their ideas on how
to solve the real-world problem on the back of their handout.

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Triangles Text Set
Can You Solve the Alice in Wonderland Riddle?
Gendler, A. (n.d.). Can You Solve the Alice in Wonderland Riddle? TED-Ed. Retrieved October
17, 2021, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/can-you-solve-the-alice-in-wonderland-riddle-alex-
gendler
1. Summary:
“After many adventures in Wonderland, Alice has once again found herself in the court of the
temperamental Queen of Hearts. She’s about to pass through the garden undetected, when she
overhears the king and queen arguing that 64 is the same as 65. Can Alice prove the queen
wrong and escape unscathed? Alex Gendler shows how.” (From ed.ted.com)
https://ed.ted.com/lessons/can-you-solve-the-alice-in-wonderland-riddle-alex-gendler
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I think this is a great video for geometry first of all, but also to get students thinking
about how all numbers are different so even if there are different ways to solve a problem, they
should arrive at the same solution if both techniques are correct. I just want to get students
interested in the math behind this outrageous assumption and what better way than a video that
connects the math concepts to something as well-known as Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. I love
that I can also add a hands-on activity to this video and pause in the middle of the video to let
students come up with their own solutions. It would spark interest in the subject while also
showing students the importance of calculations in geometry.
b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – Opinionnaire
I would use an opinionnaire before showing the students this video to spark their interest in
the topic. An opinionnaire is made up of no more than 10 somewhat controversial statements (is
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Triangles Text Set
64 the same as 65, I can fit the same shapes from a square into a rectangle of the same or greater
area, areas of an 8 by 8 square is the same as the area of a 9 by 13 rectangle, etc.) and they are
given to students before the text. Students have the time to read through the list of statements and
determine if they agree or disagree with them. After that the teacher will share the text with the
students, in this case I would show the video, but I have a twist for the activity. Instead of
watching the video completely through I would pause the video once the queen shows how 64 is
the same as 65 and ask the students how this is possible. I would have them work in partners and
I would also give them the same grids and shapes to work with to try and find a solution on their
own. Then we would come back together as a group, finish the video, and then students could
revise their opinionnaires after completing the video before comparing with a partner.
world objects.
Students will work with partners to try and solve the problem of differing area values with a
real model of the same shapes from the video to determine how these two areas could be
mistaken as being the same but are proved to be different using the congruent shapes provided.
This activity will preclude students finding areas of other shapes they see in their worlds, after
they determine the areas of each of the shapes provided from the video.

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Triangles Text Set
Students will have to call on prior knowledge from the class about areas and shapes to
determine if 64 is actually the same as 65. They will have to “use active and attentive
communication skills, building on other’s ideas to explore, learn, enjoy, argue, and exchange
information” as they try to determine how 64 and 65 are different using a geometry approach to
the problem. They will need to use the vocabulary they have learned so far to explain the
phenomena in a mathematical context as they “extend and deepen understanding of content
through purposeful, authentic, real-world tasks to show understanding and integration of content
within and across disciplines.”

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Triangles Text Set
Infographics
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Triangles Text Set
Types of Triangles
https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/education/types-triangles.
1. Summary:
This infographic defines triangles, and describes how to identify different kinds of triangles,
like isosceles, scalene, acute, obtuse, and right triangles. This infographic also provides a little
bit of information about triangles in a real-world context as well as a small introduction to
Pascal’s Triangle.
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I think it is important for students to be able to see key information that they have been
learning about present in the classroom in a condensed fashion, but also be able to make their
own understanding from the condensed information. We also talked about how important it is for
students to see information in multiple ways, especially visually, so I wanted to include an
infographic in my text set.
b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – Adjunct Display
Although this information is already almost a summary of the different kinds of triangles
students can see, I want to have students make their own graphic organizers of the information so
that they can classify triangles into specific categories while using the vocabulary they learned in
this text set. I would have students create their own adjunct display in the form of a decision tree
so that they can categorize triangles on their own with the new vocabulary from this class. I
would not provide them with a completed tree diagram for this activity, but I would give them a
blank decision tree where they would have to determine the information for each branch based
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Triangles Text Set
on the vocabulary they find on the infographic and the vocabulary they already know from the
previous texts and lessons. As a differentiated learning activity, or if there is extra time in the
lesson, I would have students create their own infographics on different types of triangles (only
scalene, only obtuse, 45-45-90 triangles, only right triangles), where they would need to include
examples of similar and congruent triangles as well as real world examples of these triangles.
world objects.
Students will have to determine how to categorize different types of triangles in the real-
world based on their decision trees they made. Also, when they make their own infographics,
they will have to show why some of the triangles they included are similar or congruent, and
where they can see the type of triangle they are studying in the real-world.
Students will need to reflect on their inquiry process to “assess metacognition, broaden
understanding, and guide actions” as they determine what to include in their decision tree and
their infographic they create. They will also need to use vocabulary and “produce writing in
which the development, organization, and style are appropriate” for an infographic.
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Triangles Text Set
Songs
40
Triangles Text Set
Special Right Triangles Song
Scalar Learning. (2017). Special Right Triangles Song - A Musical Rendition (Math Help for Sat
Test from Singing Tutor). YouTube. Retrieved October 17, 2021, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEz2Am1lss8.
1. Summary:
This is a song created by the YouTube account Scalar Learning all about special right
triangles. The focus is the special right triangles, specifically 45-45-90 triangles and 30-60-90
triangles, as well as the formulas to solve the side lengths. The song also provides students some
practice examples where they solve the lengths of the sides of the special right triangles.
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I love having music in the math classroom and I don’t want it to be a rare occurrence in my
classroom. When I did my practicum, I sat in on a lesson for an Honors Geometry classroom on
special right triangles, yet these students could not remember the special formulas for these
special triangles. Having a song helps students remember information that could be easy to
forget, so this song with the formulas and some practice problems would be perfect for students
to see how trig is used in special right triangles and what formulas can only be used with the
special angles.
b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – RAFT Writing
I like the creativity of the RAFT writing activity and the chance for students to incorporate
newly acquired vocabulary and concepts in a creative writing task. RAFT writing is done after
reading the text and it focuses on comprehension and writing. RAFT stands for role, audience,
format, and topic and it is a technique that teachers can use to pique student interest and
41
Triangles Text Set
engagement in the topic. For my lesson I would have students take on the role of being a special
right triangle, they would be writing to other triangles (not special right triangles), in the format
of a blog post, and the topic would be why they are special, and the other triangles are not. This
strategy will help me check for student comprehension of what makes a special right triangle
special as students will have to “prove” to the other triangles that they are special. Students will
have to use the trigonometric identities to show just how special they are, which encourages
students to explore the concepts and dive deeper than the song.
trigonometric ratios to be defined and determine the sine, cosine, and tangent of an
acute angle in a right triangle.
Students will have to use their knowledge about the interior angles of triangles adding up to 180
degrees, that base angles of isosceles triangles are congruent, and the relationship of sine and
cosine in right triangles to be able to explain how the special right triangles are different than
other triangles and how we can derive the formulas to find the lengths of each side.

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Triangles Text Set
Students will have to “transact with texts to formulate questions and propose explanations”
as to why there are special right triangles and what make them special compared to others. They
will also need to “extend and deepen understanding of content through purposeful, authentic,
real-world tasks to show understanding and integration of content within and across disciplines”
as they determine where they could see these potential triangles in the real world and what
classifies them as special compared to other right triangles. Also, through the RAFT writing
activity students need to “produce writing in which the development, organization and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, discipline, and audience” as they are to be writing a blogpost to
other triangles using the vocabulary they have learned about triangles and trigonometry to prove
that special right triangles are special for a reason.

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Triangles Text Set
Picture Set
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Triangles Text Set
Totally Terrific Triangles in Architecture & Interiors
https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/triangles-in-architecture/.
1. Summary:
This is a picture collection of triangles seen in architecture around the world. The artist
collects a sampling of photographs of different styles of architecture that have all kinds of
triangles; including equilateral, scalene, isosceles, acute, obtuse, and right; all present in the
different styles.
2. In My classroom:
a. Reason(s):
I wanted to include some sort of picture set of triangles in the real world to get students
thinking about other ways they can see the math concepts we are learning applied in different
fields like architecture. I wanted to have them come up with a theme for all the pictures, and I
would only show them the pictures within the article, not all the descriptions at first.
b. How I might use this resource with a strategy – Read-Write-Pair-Share
I would have students do the Read-Write-Pair-Share activity with the picture set to get them
thinking about the vocabulary we have learned in class, but more importantly about geometry in
the real-world. Read-Write-Pair-Share is an activity where students begin by reading a passage
(in this case they would be analyzing a set of pictures), then they respond to a prompt given by
the teacher, they share their ideas to a partner, and then the class comes back together and every
pair shares what they came up with. In my lesson I would have students reflect on the prompts:
Are there any similarities or differences you notice in this picture set? Is there another place you
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Triangles Text Set
have seen this phenomenon before? Try to describe the images to the best of your ability with the
vocabulary you have learned in this class so far. In the group discussion portion of the activity, I
would make sure we try to discuss where we have seen triangles or other geometric concepts in
the real-world or in other fields, like science and architecture.
world objects.
Students will focus on determining where they see triangles in the real-world context, but
they will also need to use vocabulary to classify these triangles in the text set and determine if
any of the triangle are similar or congruent. They can work with each other to determine more
information about the picture set after their writing step in the activity where they can further
their knowledge and understanding by using these vocabulary words and thinking of where these
other concepts can be seen in other real-world contexts.
Students will need to analyze the pictures and think about how they connect to the concepts
we are learning about in the course. They will need to use “active and attentive communication
skills” and well as “clear and coherent written language” to “accomplish learning, argument, and
the exchange of information” as they “build on other’s ideas to explore, learn, enjoy, argue, and
exchange information” in their RAFT activity.

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Triangles Text Set
Bibliography
Adler, D. A. (2014). Triangles. (E. Miller, Illus.). Holiday House.
Charlesbridge Publishing, U.S.
Enzensberger, H. M. (2010). The number devil: A mathematical adventure. (M. H. Heim, Trans.,
R. S. Berner, Illus.). St. Martin's Griffin.
Retrieved October 17, 2021, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-many-ways-are-there-
to-prove-the-pythagorean-theorem-betty-fei.
https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/triangles-in-architecture/.
Gendler, A. (n.d.). Can You Solve the Alice in Wonderland Riddle? TED-Ed. Retrieved October
12, 2021, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/can-you-solve-the-alice-in-wonderland-riddle-
alex-gendler.
Mlodinow, L. (2002). Euclid’s Window: The Story of Geometry From Parallel Lines to
Hyperspace. Simon & Schuster.
https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/education/types-triangles.
Scalar Learning. (2017). Special Right Triangles Song - A Musical Rendition (Math Help for Sat
Test From Singing Tutor). YouTube. Retrieved October 17, 2021, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEz2Am1lss8.
47
Triangles Text Set
Thielbar, M. (2010). The Book Bandit: A Mystery with Geometry. (C. Chow & J. M. Lee, Illus.).
Lerner Publishing Group.

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1

Triangles Text Set

Text Set: Triangles

University of South Carolina

EDRD 732 – Dr. Victoria Oglan

Content Area: Geometry

Level(s): 9th – 11th

Text Set Theme: Properties of Triangles (and special right triangles)

problems using a model.

decisions. Demonstrate that two figures are similar by identifying a combination of

figure onto the other.

the proportionality of corresponding sides to solve problems and justify results.

similarity about triangles, including the following

the other two sides.

prove relationships in geometric figures.

angle in a right triangle.

Side-Angle, Angle-Angle-Side, and Hypotenuse-Leg congruence conditions.

lines and angles.

the relationships within and among triangles, including the following:

o Measures of interior angles of a triangle sun to 180 degrees;

o Base angels of isosceles triangles are congruent.

views and multiple perspectives.

 Construct knowledge, applying disciplinary concepts and tools, to build deeper

understanding of the world through exploration, collaboration, and analysis

 Reflect throughout the inquiry process to assess metacognition, broaden understanding,

and guide actions, both individually and collaboratively.

 Gain understanding by applying reading strategies of monitoring, searching, confirming,

cross-checking, rereading, and self-correcting.

annotating, questioning, visualizing, drawing inferences, determining importance,

summarizing, and synthesizing.

 Use metacognition to monitor meaning and adjust strategies while reading

enjoy, argue, and exchange information.

 Acquire vocabulary from multiple forms of communication; use newly acquired

vocabulary to appropriately communicate in a variety of situations and contexts.

task, purpose, discipline, and audience.

 Extend and deepen understanding of content through purposeful, authentic, real-world

enjoyment, argument, and the exchange of information.

Adler, D. A. (2014). Triangles. (E. Miller, Illus.). Holiday House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Charlesbridge Publishing, U.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Illus.). Lerner Publishing Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Enzensberger, H. M. (2010). The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure. (M. H.

Heim, Trans., R. S. Berner, Illus.). St. Martin's Griffin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Hyperspace. Simon & Schuster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Retrieved October 17, 2021, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-many-ways-are-

October 17, 2021, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/can-you-solve-the-alice-in-

Yellowtrace. Retrieved October 17, 2021, from

Adler, D. A. (2014). Triangles. (E. Miller, Illus.). Holiday House.

thoroughly introduces fundamental mathematical concepts. Colorfully illustrated by nonfiction

(From Amazon.com) https://www.amazon.com/Triangles-David-Adler/dp/0823433056

material to their prior knowledge.

their own work post reading.

3. Connecting to the SC Mathematics Standards:

decisions. Demonstrate that two figures are similar by identifying a combination of

figure onto the other.

prove relationships in geometric figures.

4. Connecting to the SC Literacy Standards:

be “Construct[ing] knowledge, apply[ing] disciplinary concepts and tools, to build deeper