Geometry

The script introduces a Geogebra webinar focused on geometry, led by Monique, a curriculum designer. She welcomes participants, introduces the guest Karen Camp, a mathematics teacher with a passion for geometry and technology in education. Karen has been teaching for 15 years and conducts professional development for math since 1998. Monique encourages participants to use the chat for introductions and shares that there are 92 geometry resources available on Geogebra, with hundreds more on other topics. The webinar aims to demonstrate how to use these resources in classrooms, with a live exploration planned for the end.

Karen provides an overview of the Geogebra homepage and how to navigate to the geometry resources, which are categorized for upper elementary and middle school grades. She emphasizes that the resources are flexible and can be used across different grade levels. The script details an interactive activity about identifying angles, showcasing how Geogebra activities can introduce geometry concepts and facilitate student discussions. Karen also discusses the structure of Geogebra activities, distinguishing between exploration and practice activities.

The script describes an interactive Geogebra activity where participants can identify and manipulate triangles to understand triangle types. Karen explains how dynamic activities allow students to explore geometric concepts like triangle properties through interaction and immediate feedback. She also highlights the importance of reflection in learning, suggesting that teachers use the 'putting it all together' sections of activities to consolidate student learning.

Karen demonstrates activities that explore the sum of interior and exterior angles of polygons. She emphasizes the importance of prerequisite skills, such as understanding the angles of a triangle, before engaging with these activities. The script illustrates how Geogebra animations help students visualize and understand geometric concepts, and how teachers can use these activities to encourage student exploration and reflection.

The script discusses two types of lesson structures for Geogebra activities. Type one explorations guide students along similar pathways to a single conclusion, which is useful for direct learning of specific math concepts. In contrast, type two explorations offer open-ended investigations where students can decide their path, leading to potentially diverse conclusions. Karen illustrates these concepts with activities involving geometric solids and cross-sections.

Karen showcases a Pythagorean theorem animation, emphasizing the importance of observation and interaction with dynamic geometry. She then introduces a rich set of activities related to geometric transformations, which she refers to as a 'gold mine' due to their variety and depth. The script highlights the value of these activities for teaching transformations and for engaging students in mathematical exploration.

The script summarizes key points from the webinar, including the importance of the action, consequence, reflection cycle in learning. Karen advises on when to use Geogebra activities, such as for pre-assessments, absent student work, or lab activities. She also encourages teachers to try out activities themselves to determine their suitability for students and to adapt them as needed.

The script concludes with information on how to access the webinar recording and slides, and announces the next webinar topic, which will be on probability and statistics. Karen shares her contact information and resources for further exploration. Monique thanks Karen for her participation and the audience for attending, encouraging feedback and engagement with Geogebra on social media.