Pythagorean Theorem

Student Choice Drawing Project with Rubric

Thank you for downloading this product! Your students will love creating pieces of artwork to model
Pythagorean Theorem real world problems.

You will need to copy pages 3-4 (front and back) for your students. Then, your students should follow
these steps:
1) Choose a scenario.
2) Solve the problem using the Pythagorean Theorem.
3) Explain (in paragraph form) how they set up and solved the problem.
4) Finally, its time to get creative! The last step is to draw and color a model for the scenario! The
drawing should include appropriate labels/measurements, should be neat, colorful, and ready to be
displayed in the classroom!
I usually give this assignment to my students at the end of a class period, telling them that tomorrow, we
will use the whole class period to work on our project. Dont forget to tell them to bring coloring supplies!

Due Date: __________________________________

Directions: Choose one of the following scenarios. Solve and write a full explanation for your answer. Finally, use a separate
sheet of paper to draw and color a model for your solution. Use the rubric as a guide. Your drawings will be displayed in the
classroom, so do your best!

Scenario 1: You and your friend enjoy riding your bicycles. Today is a beautiful sunny day, so the two of you are taking a
long ride out in the country side. Leaving your home in Sunshine, you ride 6 miles due west to the town of Happyville,
where you turn south and ride 8 miles to the town of Crimson. When the sun begins to go down, you decide that it is
time to start for home. There is a road that goes directly from Crimson back to Sunshine. If you want to take the
shortest route home, do you take this new road, or do you go back the way you came? Justify your decision. How much
further would the longer route be than the shorter route? Assume all roads are straight.

Scenario 2:

A newly-planted tree needs to be staked with three wires. Each wire is attached to the trunk 3 ft. above the
ground, and then anchored to the ground 4 ft. from the base of the tree. How much wire is needed for 6 trees?

Scenario 3: Jills front door is 42 wide and 84 tall. She purchased a circular table that is 96 inches in diameter. Will the
table fit through the front door? Explain using approximations.

Name:_____________________

Explanation

Model
Solution
Teacher Comments:

Scenario: 1 2 3
(circle one)

Outstanding
Proficient
(20 points each) (15 points each)

Needs
Improvement
(10 points each)

Incomplete
(5 point each)

Explanation is clear
Explanation is clear.
and well developed.

Some explanation,
but several steps
are missing.

Little or no
explanation is given.

Drawing is done with

Drawing is only a
Drawing is only a
straight edge, is labeled
sketch, is not correctly
sketch but is labeled
correctly and has
labeled, but has
and has measurements.
measurements.
measurements.

Drawing or sketch has

no labels and no
measurements.

Solution is correct, but

one or more steps are
missing.

Solution is partially
correct.

Solution is correct. All

steps are shown.

Solution is nearly
correct.

Total points: _______/60

Name:_____________________

Scenario: 1 2 3
(circle one)

Needs
Outstanding
Proficient
Improvement
(20 points each) (15 points each)
(10 points each)
Explanation
Model
Solution

Explanation is clear
Explanation is clear.
and well developed.

Model

Solution

Little or no
explanation is given.

Drawing is done with

Drawing is only a
Drawing is only a
straight edge, is labeled
sketch, is not correctly
sketch but is labeled
correctly and has
labeled, but has
and has measurements.
measurements.
measurements.

Drawing or sketch has

no labels and no
measurements.

Solution is correct, but

one or more steps are
missing.

Solution is partially
correct.

Solution is correct. All

steps are shown.

Name:_____________________
Teacher Comments:

Explanation

Some explanation,
but several steps
are missing.

Incomplete
(5 point each)

Solution is nearly
correct.

Scenario: 1 2 3
(circle one)

Total points: _______/60

Outstanding
Proficient
(20 points each) (15 points each)

Needs
Improvement
(10 points each)

Incomplete
(5 point each)

Explanation is clear
Explanation is clear.
and well developed.

Some explanation,
but several steps
are missing.

Little or no
explanation is given.

Drawing is done with

Drawing is only a
Drawing is only a
straight edge, is labeled
sketch, is not correctly
sketch but is labeled
correctly and has
labeled, but has
and has measurements.
measurements.
measurements.

Drawing or sketch has

no labels and no
measurements.

Solution is correct, but

one or more steps are
missing.

Solution is partially
correct.

Solution is correct. All

steps are shown.

Name:_____________________
Teacher Comments:

Scenario: 1 2 3
(circle one)

Solution is nearly
correct.

Total points: _______/60

Answer Key:
Scenario 1:
62 + 82 = 2 ; = 10 ; 10 < (6 + 8)

Scenario 2:
32 + 42 = 2 ; = 5 ; 3 5 = 15 15 6 = 90 90

Scenario 3:
422 + 822 = 2 ; 92.13 ; 96 > 92.13