DiMatteo Mod2 Application 1

Module 2 Application Assignment

Problem Solving Geometry Lesson
Samantha DiMatteo
Marygrove College

Lesson Topic: Area and Circumference of Circles

 DiMatteo Mod2 Application 2

Lesson Objectives: SWBAT justify the origin of pi and the formula for the area of a
circle. Additionally, they will apply the formulas for circumference and area to an
application problem.

Established Goals (State / Common Core Standards):

- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.GMD.A.1(Giveaninformalargumentfortheformulasforthe
circumferenceofacircle&areaofacircle)
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSA.CED.A.4 (Rearrange formulas to highlight a quantity of
interest, using the same reasoning as in solving equations.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.C.A.1(Provethatallcirclesaresimilar)
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.MG.A.1(Usegeometricshapes,theirmeasures,andtheirpropertiesto
describeobjects)
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.MG.A.3(Applygeometricmethodstosolvedesignproblems)

Differentiation:
- Flexible grouping strategies
- Guided notes
- Additional assistance
- Preferential Seating
- Choice/student interest (HW)
- Extended time on homework & on formal assessments

Mathematics Task: *see below

Formative Assessments: - Admit ticket

- Monitor student progress on performance tasks
- Feedback from q&a / class discussion

Summative Assessments: - Exit ticket

- Homework

Before Activities: - Administer admit ticket

- Assign partners
- Introduce to new vocabulary
- Provide materials and directions for each assignment
- State allotted time for the completion of each activity

Challenges/Extensions: Prove that all circles are similar.

After Phase of Lesson: Closure / Class discussion / Exit Ticket

Essential Questions: What does the circumference of a circle divided by its diameter yield?
How can we relate the area of a parallelogram to the area of a circle?
 DiMatteo Mod2 Application 3

Lesson Summary: This lesson begins with me, the teacher, stating the title and objectives for
todays lesson. Students then proceed to complete an admit ticket in which they are asked to discuss
their current understanding of pi. I anticipate that most students will recognize this mathematical
symbol and can state its value, which is approximately 3.14, but that they do not know how this
number originated or how it relates to the study of circles. This is a segueway to our first activity of the
day. Using a tape measure, students will independently measure the circumference of a few cylindrical
objects that they have brought from home (examples include pringles can, oatmeal container, soup can,
etc.). They will then measure the diameter of their object. Each student is to divide the circumference of
their object by its diameter and record the results. Students are then to look to the board and identify
their partner(s) for todays cooperative activity. Students are grouped according to varying abilities and
skill levels. Students are to compare their measurement results with those of their group members and
draw a conclusion based on these results. (Because each student measured an object of their choice
their measurements for circumference and diameter differ; however they will notice that their results
after dividing the two measurements are all identical). As a class we will then discuss what each group
concluded about their measurements, unanimously they will have discovered that the circumference
divided by the diameter of any circle reveals a measurement of pi. For the second task students will
complete an activity that will help them derive the formula for the area of a circle. Students will cut a
circle in half and in half again, and then cut each of those pieces in half and continue to repeat the
process. They will then arrange the pieces alternately so that collectively they begin to look like a
parallelogram. At this point they will try to find the area of the parallelogram, (length x width), but they
will substitute the values for length and width with the formulas that represent those portions of the
circle (see below). When they simplify their formula it will yield the formula for the area of a circle. The
closure assignment is an exit ticket that asks students to apply the formulas from todays lesson to a real
life context. The homework/extension activity will require students to obtain a menu from a local pizza
shop. They will use the formula for the area of a circle to determine which size pizza (small, medium, or
large) is the better value. They will also have to compare the difference between the prices of ordering
an entire pie vs. eight single slices. The students will share their results during the following class.
 DiMatteo Mod2 Application 4

TASK 1: Deriving formulas for Circumference, Diameter, Radius, & Pi

Define in your own words each of the following vocabulary terms:

Circumference: __________________________________________________________________

Diameter: _________________________________________________________________________

Radius: ____________________________________________________________________________

Pi ( ): ______________________________________________________________________________

Materials:
5 Cylindrical Objects, Tape Measure, Ruler, & a Calculator

Directions:
- Consider the five cylindrical objects you brought in from home.
- Use the tape measure to measure the circumference of each cylinder.
- Use the ruler to identify the diameter of each object.
- Divide the circumference of each object by its diameter.
- Record the results of each measurement on the table provided.

Object C Circumference C
D Diameter D Circumference

Diameter
C

D

What can you

conclude about
the relationship between a circles circumference and its diameter?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Use the data from the table to derive formulas for:

Circumference ____________________ Diameter _________________________

 DiMatteo Mod2 Application 5

Radius ____________________________ __________________________________

TASK 2: Deriving the formula for the Area of a Circle

Materials: Poster Board, Compass, Ruler, Scissors, & Glue

Directions:

(1) Using a compass create a circle on your poster board and cut it out.

(2) Trace this circle three times, cut each of those circles out.

(3) Draw a diameter across the first circle and cut the circle in half along the diameter. Then cut each of
the resulting semi-circles in half again.

(4) Arrange the four pieces, alternating in such a way that they mimic a parallelogram.

(5) Draw a diameter across the second circle and cut the circle in half along the diameter. Then cut each
of the resulting semi-circles in half again and then each of those pieces in half once more. This will
result in 8 sectors. Arrange them in an alternating fashion just as you did with the first circle.

(6) Repeat step 5 with the third circle except cut each sector in half one additional time. This will result
in 16 sectors. Arrange them in an alternating fashion just as you did with the first circle.

What would the figure look like if we continued this process?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Recall the formula for the area of a parallelogram. Area=(base)(height)

(a) Consider the formula that you developed for the circumference of a circle.
How long is the base of the parallelogram we created from the circle parts? _____________________

(b) What is the height of this parallelogram? ______________________________________

(Hint: reassembling your pieces into the original circle can help you determine these measurements)

(c) Substitute your results from questions a & b into the original formula for a parallelogram (A=bh) and
simplify.
 DiMatteo Mod2 Application 6

(d) Area of a circle: ______________________

*Notice how the more segments that the circle is divided into the
closer the shape mimics that of a parallelogram. The formula for
the area of a parallelogram is the base multiplied by the height.
In this case the base is represented by half of the circumference.
The formula for circumference is 2r and if we take half of that we
have r. Therefore, the base of this parallelogram can be
represented by r. The height of the parallelogram is actually the
radius of the circle. Therefore (base)(height) (r)(r) = r2
yielding the formula for the area of a circle.
 DiMatteo Mod2 Application 7

Closure / Assessment: Exit Ticket:

Directions: Use the formulas that you derived to solve the following application problem.

You have a new puppy, Charlie. You want him to play in your yard but there is currently no
fence installed, therefore you would like to keep him on a leash while he plays outside. You
decide you put a peg in the ground and tie a leash to the peg and to Charlies collar so he can
run around.

(1) Choose the length of Charlies leash. What part of the circle does the leash represent?
________________

(2) Determine how far he would run if he ran eight full laps with the leash fully extended.
_________________

(3) If he starts with his leash fully extended and walks straight across to his water bowl on the
other side of the
yard, how far would he have traveled? _____________________

(4) You want to lay sod in the area that he will be playing.
How many square feet of sod will you need? __________

(5) If you divide the distance around the circle by the distance across the circle what is your
result? __________
Would this hold true for if the dog had a different sized leash? __________

(6) Choose another length for a leash. If Charlie continued to run around with the leash fully
extended what would the
new circumference and diameter of the circle be? __________

*Challenge* Consider the dimentions of your orginal circle, and then consider the dimensions of
the circle that was created for problem #6. Are the two similar? If so, show an algebraic proof
to justify their similarity.

/
 DiMatteo Mod2 Application 8

The majority of the lessons in the textbook are presented in a very traditional fashion;
many of these lessons can be reconstructed in a way that encourages students to think
inquisitively and problem solve. Van De Walle, Karp, and Bay-Williams (2013) explain,
Mathematics today requires not only computational skills but also the ability to think and
reason mathematically to solve new problems and lean new ideas that students will face in the
future (p 3). However, not all topics need to be addressed through problem solving, the
development of students computational skills certainly has its place in a mathematics
curriculum.
Algebraic skills and prior exposure to geometric shapes are essential pre-requisites for
the geometry curriculum. When I consider the skills that my students enter my classroom with,
I can develop lessons that work to support and expand upon each of those skills. Van De Walle,
Karp, and Bay-Williams (2013) states, Perhaps they already have some prior knowledge of the
content you have been working on, which this lesson is aimed at expanding or refining (p. 60).
For this lesson I am working to help my students develop their understanding of Pi and the
development of the formulas associated with circles. Additionally, I want them to apply their
knowledge of circles to real life application problems. As a brief formative assessment I will ask
the students to tell me what they know about the mathematical symbol . Their answers to
this question will help me to confirm that they have some prior knowledge of Pi, and that my
lesson will help to develop a more in depth understanding of its meaning, origin, and
applications.
It is imperative that I work to build a variety of differentiation techniques to help support
the needs of my students. As Tomlinson (2010) states, Teachers have to make specific and
continually evolving plans to connect each learner with key content(p. 14). The main way in
which I will address differentiation in this lesson will be through flexible grouping strategies.
Heacox (2009) states, In collaborative groups, you may often form groups of students
representing mixed readiness(p. 99). My groups will encourage collaboration amongst mixed
ability levels. Van De Walle, Karp, and Bay-Williams (2013) explain, Allowing students to
collaborate on tasks provides support and challenges, increasing their chance to communicate
about and building understanding (p. 67). Additionally, I will provide printed guided notes,
preferential seating, and extended time on the homework assignment and on the formal
assessment for students who have been classified with an IEP or 504 plan. Each student varies
in ability and has unique set of needs and through the use of differentiation we can work to help
each student reach their academic potential.
This lesson was presented in a very traditional fashion in the textbook. Examples and
problems required students to plug in appropriate values into the formulas for circumference,
diameter, radius, and area and then solve for the missing variable. The tasks that I designed
are hands on, require in depth thinking, and specifically address the topics of circumference and
area of circles as they build on the students prior knowledge of circles and algebraic skills. Van
 DiMatteo Mod2 Application 9

De Walle, Karp, and Bay-Williams (2013) emphasize, The importance of selecting a worthwhile
task cannot be overstated! (p. 60). The first activity instructs students to measure the
circumference of a cylindrical object of their choice that they have brought from home (Examples
include: Soup cans, Oatmeal containers, Coffee tins, Pringles packaging, Mason Jars, etc.). Their first task is to measure
the circumference of each object and divide that number by the measurement for the diameter of each object.
Interestingly enough, regardless of the size of the circle they measure, each answer should be almost identical; this will
allow students to conclude that the circumference divided by the diameter of any circle will always yield . (
C
= ) Students will then manipulate this equation using their algebra skills to identify formulas for circumference
D
and diameter. The second task was designed to help student understand the validity behind the formula for the area of a
circle (A= r2). This requires students to cut a circle into sectors and arrange them in such a way that mimics a
parallelogram. Based off of this visual component students will be able to derive a formula for the area of a circle based
on their pre-requisite knowledge of the formula for the area of a parallelogram (Area parallelogram=base*height). Both of
these tasks address multiple content standards from both geometry and algebra including:
HSG.GMD.A.1and HSA.CED.A.4. Lastly, this lesson concludes with an exit ticket that requires the
students to apply the formulas to a real life context. This will be used to assess the students
understanding of the topic and it will test their ability to apply the components of the lesson to a
new but related situation.
Formative assessments will be done throughout the course of the lesson in various forms. The admit ticket will
assess students prior knowledge and each activity will assess the students understanding of Pi and the formulas
associated with circles. Additionally, questioning techniques and class discussions will help me gain instant feedback as
to the receptivity of my lesson. The exit ticket will serve as a summative assessment as it will assess the students overall
competence with the material. Van De Walle, Karp, and Bay-Williams (2013) states, Summative
assessment captures whether students have learned the objectives you have listed for the
lesson (p. 61). In the week that follows students will be assessed through additional application activities and
formally through the use of a chapter test, a quarterly benchmark assessment, and on the final exam.
Van De Walle, Karp, and Bay-Williams (2013) state, A well-prepared lesson that maximizes the
opportunity for students to learn must be focused and aligned (p. 62). Each component of my
lessons support my objectives and has a sequential flow to it. It is also important to anticipate
student responses so that I can offer them insightful feedback when necessary. In this lesson
there are a couple of places in which students may need additional guidance with the material.
In the first task results may not get identical results due to human error, I will reassure the
students that they are on the right track and to observe the similarities in their results even if
their results slightly vary from that of their peers. Additionally, I anticipate that some students
may have questions about the discovery activity in relation to the area of a circle. Students
must make the connection between the formula for circumference and the length of the base of
the parallelogram they create by cutting the poster board. For this reason I have prepared a
color-coated sample of each phase of the activity and I have highlighted the portion of the
shape that represents the circumference that I will reference this if necessary.
The majority of the content in this chapter of the textbook can be converted into lessons
that encourage problem solving, however I do not feel that I could teach the vocabulary terms
through problem solving. Vocabulary is a key component in a geometry textbook and I usually
address it in one of two ways. The first is through a traditional direct instructionally method in
 DiMatteo Mod2 Application 10

which I present each term to the class during instructional time. After a word is presented I try
to use it in class discussions on a regular basis so that students become familiar with the word.
I also use the words in directions on worksheets and assessments. Furthermore, I print out each
word and add it to our classrooms word wall. These techniques ensure that the students receive
constant exposure to the words. Alternatively, sometimes I have the students use the textbook
to define each word. I feel that this is an effective method as it helps them to use context clues
to gain insight as to each words meaning. Defining vocabulary words would not work through
the problem solving method because each word only has one definition specific to the geometry
curriculum.
Van De Walle, Karp, and Bay-Williams (2013) state, Each lesson within a unit is directed
toward supporting the larger goal of the unit (p. 60). I believe that to best reach our students
our classrooms need to have a balance of various instructional techniques. Each teaching
strategy can be a valuable tool in helping our students reach their potential. Therefore teachers
should carefully select the method that best addresses the curriculum and encourages student
understanding.

References

Heacox, D. (2009). Making differentiation a habit: How to ensure success in

academically diverse classrooms. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
Tomlinson, C. A., & Imbeau, M. B. (2010). Leading and managing a
differentiated classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Van de Walle, J. A., Karp, K. S., & Bay-Williams, J. M. (2013). Elementary and
middle school mathematics methods: Teaching developmentally (8 th ed.). Pearson:
Boston.