South Carolina ETV

South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Look at It from the Right Angle (Grades 8-12)

Master Teacher

Mindy Hester

Time Allotment

One class period

Overview

Students will investigate how geometry in general and angles in particular can be used in the field of fitness and physical performance. In the video, Jaime Escalante (of Stand and Deliver fame) shows off his physical prowess and tells students a little about functions, then introduces NBA star Michael Cooper, who tells students his "5 D's" that have helped him be successful. The video then shows nutritionists, doctors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and biomedical engineers who work with dancers and other athletes to improve their performance. The doctors and therapists mention geometry and angles on several occasions as they talk about treating sports-related injuries.

Subject Matter

Mathematics—Geometry

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

identify, measure, and draw angles of varying degree measures

explain the use of angles in the field of fitness and physical performance

South Carolina Standards

These Standards can be found online at Office of Curriculum Standards.

Geometry

I-A: Analyze properties and determine attributes of two- and three-dimensional objects.

IV-E: Use geometric ideas to solve problems in, and gain insights into, other disciplines and other areas of interest.

Media Components

Video

Futures 2, Lesson 2: "Fitness and Physical Per-formance" begins with master teacher Jaime Escalante showing off his physical prowess. Escalante talks about the mathematical term "function" and gives an example of a parabola. He is soon joined by NBA player Michael Cooper, who tells students how he developed his skills and keeps in shape with his system of 5 D's. Later in the video lesson, we see nutritionists, doctors, physical therapists, and biomedical engineers who work with dancers and other athletes to maintain and increase their level of fitness and performance.

Web Site

Edhelper.com is devoted to offering help and solving tips for a variety of math topics, as well as test prep practice. This page features a worksheet of angles for students to measure with a protractor, with answers available by e-mail.

Materials

Per student:

paper
pencil
ruler or straightedge
protractor
sheet of practice exercises

Prep for Teachers

Prior to teaching the lesson, bookmark the Edhelper.com Web site.

Prepare the hands-on element of the lesson by duplicating a copy of the Activity Sheets for each student.

When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites, or other multimedia elements.

Preview the video and have it set to the beginning of Lesson 2: "Fitness and Physical Performance."

Introductory Activity

Step 1: Have students practice sketching angles

of various sizes. Tell them to try sketching a 90-degree angle, 45-, 60-, 30-, even 10-degree angle. When they finish, have them check to see how well they did by measuring with a protractor.

Step 2: Check students' measuring technique with the protractor.

Step 3: Measure angles in the classroom. Make a table noting location and angle measure. Are there any interesting patterns? Are some angles prominently visible and others prominent in their absence? (Answers will vary, but most classrooms will have an abundance of 90-degree angles; some will have other angles, but very few will have small angles such as 10 degrees.)

Learning Activities

Step 1: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to listen for Escalante to give the mathematical term for "depends on." START the tape and let it play until Escalante writes on the board "FUNCTION" and he says, "In mathematics, `depends on' is equal to say `function.' " PAUSE the tape and check for comprehension by asking students what "depends on" is in mathematics. (Answer: function)

Step 2: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by telling them that Escalante will ask the students for examples using "depends on" and "function," and that they should be prepared to write their own examples. PLAY the tape until the students in the video laugh and Escalante says, "That's exactly what I said!" PAUSE the tape and ask students for some of their examples. (Answers will vary. Accept any reasonable answer given in the form of the examples given by Escalante's students.)

Step 3: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by telling them to listen for Michael Cooper's 5 D's and to write them down. PLAY the tape until Michael says "not only a great student but a great person," and the students applaud. PAUSE the tape and check for comprehension by asking students to list the 5 D's. (Answer: [in any order] Determination, dedication, desire, discipline, and making the right decisions.) Students will have an opportunity to write about one or more of the 5 D's later.

Step 4: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to listen for the nutritionists to say how they help the athletes to improve performance. PAUSE the tape when the nutritionist says, "it's a real exciting area to get into." Check for comprehension by asking students how nutritionists help athletes improve performance. (Answers: by helping them eat right, by choosing the right kinds of fuel for their bodies, by reading labels, by doing "fat math" such as counting calories, fat, and cholesterol, by determining how much body fat they have.)

Step 5: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to listen for the angles the doctors mention in the discussion and to decide if these are important despite their size. PAUSE the tape when the orthopedic surgeon says, "and that's the ultimate," and the baseball player makes a diving catch and slides along the field. Check for comprehension by asking for the sizes of the angles. (Answer: [in any order] 12 degrees, 5 degrees, 8 degrees. Three degrees may also be mentioned.) Mention that these sound like small angles. Ask if they are important even though they seem small, and why. (Answer: YES! Because they will affect how the athlete is able to perform after the operation.)

Step 6: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to listen for the specific angles the dancer mentions that he must know. PLAY the tape until the dancer says, "dancers can prolong their dance lives," and the dance sequences are complete. PAUSE the tape and check for comprehension by asking for the angle measures the dancer mentioned. (Answer: 45 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees)

Step 7: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to watch which sports the disabled athletes are participating in. PLAY the tape until the therapist says, "that's the most rewarding thing about this field," and the hands are shown clasping in the air. Check for comprehension by asking students which sports they saw the disabled athletes participating in. (Answer: basketball, track and field or shot put. The engineers also mention several others, including baseball, running, skiing, racquet sports, running a marathon, soccer, rock climbing, scuba diving, walking, although they are not shown.)

PLAY the tape until the end to see Jaime Escalante show Michael Cooper how math is his secret weapon.

Culminating Activity

(Includes Assessment.)

Step 1: Provide students with a Focus for

Media Interaction by asking them to complete the problems on the following Web page. Have students log on to the Web site http://www. edhelper.com/geometry.htm#s362. Direct them to indicate in the checkbox if they wish to have the answers to the worksheet e-mailed to them; if so, they should enter their e-mail addresses. Then tell them to click on the blue box that says "Create Worksheet Now!" Ask the students to print out the worksheet so they can measure each angle with a protractor. They may check their own answers to the worksheet.

Step 2: Hand out the sheet of practice exercises (Activity Sheets 1and 2) to complete and turn in. Direct students to use a protractor to measure and draw angles of various sizes. Instruct them to write the measurement of each angle near the vertex of the angle, and to be sure to label answers with the symbol for "degrees." Tell students to complete the exercises and turn their sheets in to you.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

Language Arts: Have students write a summary for a classmate who was absent describing what they learned.

Interview the school athletic trainer to find out how she/he uses angles in treatment and rehabilitation of sports related injuries (for example, range of motion exercises), and write an article for a newsletter or a brief oral presentation.

Interview the school nurse or Health Occupations instructor about how angles are used in health care (for example, the Fowler position) and write an article for a newsletter or a brief oral presentation.

Have students write a journal entry or essay on Michael Cooper's 5 D's. For example, do they agree with him about how they will make you a great person; is one more important than the others; could they add another "D" to the list or make their own list with another initial.

Technology: Use an interactive software program such as Geometer's Sketchpad to investigate properties of angles.

Community Connections

Measure angles of wheelchair ramps in various locations in the school and community. Investigate what the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements are, and verify that the ramps meet the ADA requirements. If ramps do not meet the ADA requirements, write a letter to the property owner explaining the situation and at least one possible remedy.

Student Materials

Activity Sheet 1 (PDF)
Activity Sheet 2 (PDF)
pencil
protractor
ruler or straightedge