ITE 325 Lesson Plan

Name: Stephanie Domingo

Grade Level and Setting: 5th Grade

Title: Classifying Triangles

Date Taught April 3, 2014 Duration 8:30- 10:00am Number of Students: 22

Overarching Mathematical Goal(s): (Using I Can Statements)
I Can
Classify triangles knowing the length of their sides.
Classify triangles knowing the angles degree.
Find the missing angle degree of a triangle.
Consider Your Students Needs:
Considering All Students:
Some students may be able to classify triangles by just looking at a triangle, but most may need to use tools such
as rulers to help them. I will be using hands on group activity to help build their understanding for practice. I will also
have visuals on the screen to help visual learners.
For English Language Learners (ELL):
For ELL, the hands on activity as well as the visuals will help them to understand better. They will be able to see
the differences of the different triangles. They will also get the opportunity to explore, while working with others.
I will also be using a lot of modeling for the students to follow by. For the group activity, I will be doing the first 2
triangles with them, showing them ways on how to classify the triangles. I will also do some practice problems with them
to find the missing angles. Using real life situations may also help.
For Students with Special Needs:
For struggling learners, extra modeling will be provided, as well as repetition. I will have a power point for them to
see while I model. I will break things down into steps for an easier learning. The hands on activity as well as using real
life situations will build for better understanding.
For accelerated learners who finish their work fast, I will give them a practice worksheet they could do. It will have
problems with characteristics of a triangle. The problem will ask if it is possible for that specific triangle exist.

Materials Needed:
Each student will need:
Ruler
Pencil
Math notebook
Math textbook
Triangle worksheet and data sheet
Protractor
Teacher will need:
Power point
Math textbook
Triangle worksheet and data sheet
Math worksheet (To pass out to students as homework)
Protractor
Smart board
Projector
Sources:
enVisionMATH: Topic 8; Triangels. By: Scott Foresman and Addison Wesley.

Standard/Benchmark
HCPSIII/Common Core Content Standards:
Geometry: Classify two- dimensional figures into categories based on their properties.
5.G.3: Understand that attributes belonging to a category of two-dimensional figures also belong to all subcategories of that
category.
I Can

Classify triangles knowing the length of their sides.

Classify triangles knowing the angles degree.
Find the missing angle degree of a triangle.

NCTM Process Standards/Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice:

Making sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
Model with mathematics.
Use appropriate tools strategically.
Assessment
Observe:
Are students classifying triangles both by length of their sides and by degree of their angle?
Do students understand how to find the degree of a missing angle?
Ask:
What are the 3 different triangles called if given the measurement of the sides?
What are the 3 different triangles called if given the measurement of the angle?
What are the characteristics of a equilateral, isosceles, scalene, right, acute, and obtuse triangle?
Assessment Recording Sheets and/or Rubrics:

Activities/Instructional Strategies
BEFORE:
1. Introduction
a. Gain the classes attention with an attention getter.
i. You say: 1,2,3. Eyes on me. They say: 1,2. Eyes on you.
b. Explain to the class what we will be doing today in math.

i. We will be learning to classify triangles.

c. Explain the benchmarks that you will be hitting and the I can statements. This will also be on the power point.
i. Geometry: Classify two- dimensional figures into categories based on their properties.
5.G.3: Understand that attributes belonging to a category of two-dimensional figures also belong to all subcategories
of that category.
ii. I Can
1. Classify triangles knowing the length of their sides.
2. Classify triangles knowing the angles degree.
3. Find the missing angle degree of a triangle.

2. Building Background
a. Show the power point to begin the lesson on the different triangles.
b. Ask the students to take out their notebook and math book and turn to page 208.
c. Tell them to take notes as you talk about the different types of triangles.
d. Show the slides.
e. Discuss how to classify triangles.
i. There are two ways to classify triangles.
ii. One is to measure the sides of a triangle.
iii. The second way is to measure the angles of the triangles
f. Explain that the sides are the perimeter of the triangle and that the angles are the inside of the triangle.
g. Change slide to Classifying by length of sides
h. Discuss the 3 types of triangles when given the measurement of the sides.
i. Equilateral: All sides are the same length.
1. Use a ruler to show the picture shown is a equilateral triangle.
ii. Isosceles: Two sides are the same length.
1. Show that there are two sides measured as 5 inches, and the other side is 3 inches.
iii. Scalene Triangle: No sides are the same length.
1. Show that there are 3 different measurements. One side is 4cm, the other is 6cm, and the third side is 5cm.
i. On the next slide is a blank slide. Use this to model how to classify triangles given the sides. Use the smart board pen.
j. Draw and write on the board these three problems.
i. A triangle with 3in sides all around. (Equilateral)
ii. A triangle with two 5in sides and one, 2in sides. (Isosceles)
iii. A triangle with a 4in side, a 8in side, and a 7in side. (Scalene)
k. Allow students to discuss with partners.
l. Discuss the answers with the class.

m.
n.

o.
p.

q.
r.
s.
t.
u.
v.
w.

x.

i. Ask students what the answers are and ask them for their reasoning.
Ask if there are any questions so far.
Change slide to Classifying by measurement of angle.
i. Right triangle: One angle is a right angle.
1. Tell them that a right angle is 90 degrees.
2. Show them the protractor and where 90 degrees is.
3. Show the picture and explain that the symbol shown is a right angle and is 90 degrees. They are
perpendicular to each other.
ii. Acute triangle: All three angles are acute angles.
1. Acute angles means that the angles are smaller then 90 degrees.
2. Show them the protractor and what angles are less then 90 degrees.
3. Show the picture and explain that all the angles shown are less then 90 degrees.
iii. Obtuse triangle: One angle is an obtuse angle.
1. Obtuse means that the angle is larger then 90 degrees.
2. Show on the protractor what is larger then 90 degrees.
3. Show the picture and explain which angle would make the triangle an obtuse triangle.
On the next slide is a blank slide. Use this to model how to classify triangles given the angles. Use the smart board pen.
Draw and write on the board these three problems.
i. A triangle with a 90 degree angle. (Right triangle)
ii. A triangle with the angles 80 degrees, 50 degrees, and 40 degrees. (Acute triangle)
iii. A triangle with the angles 95 degrees, 40 degrees, and 45 degrees. (Obtuse triangle)
Change the slide to finding the missing angle
Discuss how the measurement of all angles of a triangle equals 180 degrees.
Explain that if you were to open the triangle, the lines would make a flat line and that equals to 180 degrees.
Show with the protractor and 180 degrees.
Show and model the next two slides on how to find the missing angle. Use the space next to the picture to show work.
Show the third picture and have the students work on it with a partner.
Share and discuss answer.
i. 70 degrees
ii. 39 degrees
iii. 30 degrees
Ask if there are any questions.

DURING:
3. Collaborative Group Work
a. Tell the students that we are going to be doing a group activity on classifying triangles.
b. Gather them into their table groups.
c. Pass out the triangle sheets and data sheet.
d. Discuss the instructions
i. In your groups you will be classifying the triangles based on their sides and their angles.
ii. Label the measurement of the sides, and the measurement of the angle.
iii. There will be no playing around
e. Model for them letter A.
i. Use a rule and protractor, and show how to record data.
ii. A would be under scalene and right triangle box.
f. Allow them to work on the activity
g. Walk around and facilitate
h. Use the attention getter to get classes attention.
i. Discuss answers. (answers will be on attachment)
i. Ask students what they got and confirm or deny.
4. Independent work
a. Tell students to work independently on problems 5-12 on page 209. Turn it in when finished. If they arent able to finish
by the end of the day, then ask them to do for homework.
AFTER:
5. Closure
a. Ask students to take out a sheet of paper for their exit pass.
b. Give the students this problem. It is a two-step problem they need to do and get correct before going out to recess.
c. Show problem on the elmo (see attachment)
d. Assign homework.
i. Worksheet 8-4
ii. Problem Solving: number 13 on page 209.
If after assessing students exit pass and homework, do a re-teach lesson.

Name

Exit Pass Recording Sheet

if turned in
# of redo

ABS
ABS

Name

Homework (Math Page 209 #5-13) Rubric and Recording Sheet

ME- +20
MP- +12-14

ABS
13

14

12

13

DP- +8-11
WB- +0-7

14

12

10
7

12

13
11

ABS
10

11

I- Incomplete

ABS
ABS

ABS

ME= Exceeds Proficiency (4 Pts.)

MP= Meets Proficiency (3

Pts.)

DP- Developing Proficiency (2

Pts.)

WB- Well Below Proficiency (1

Pt.)

I- Incomplete (0 Pts.)

They get all questions plus all

the problem-solving questions
on page 209.
Problem solving questions on
page 209 is extra credit, except
for number 13.

Gets all correct or has 1

error.

Gets 2 to 3 errors.

Gets 4 to all errors.

Did not turn one in.

Students name

Students who dont understand that you can

classify a triangle two ways (By measurement
of sides and by angles)
Name of Students/ Notes Are Written In These Boxes

Is able to
classify
triangles by
measuring the
sides.

Is able to classify
the triangles by
measuring the
angles.

Is able to
find the
missing
angle.

YES
YES
YES

YES
YES
YES

YES
YES
NO

YES
YES
YES
YES
YES

NO
NO
NO
YES
YES

YES
YES
YES
NO
YES

YES
YES
YES

YES
YES
YES

YES
YES
YES

NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES

YES
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
YES
YES

YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES

YES

NO

YES

Comments:

ABS
She didnt turn in her homework, but on her exit note she
was having difficulty on finding the missing degree.

Was able to do it on exit note but had a difficult time doing

this on homework.

Was able to do it on exit note but had a difficult time doing

this on homework.

Students who dont understand what an

equilateral, Isosceles, and Scalene is.

Students who dont understand what a right,

acute, and obtuse triangle is.

Students who dont understand how to

find the missing angle of a triangle.

Marcus
Kalani

Jason Ariana Jayme Aaron

Hoku Bryson Janine Riley Zairen

Raelyn
Levi

Assorted Triangle Sheet

Classifying Triangle Data Sheet

Classifying Triangle Data Sheet (Answers)

Exit Pass

Reflections:
1. What math concepts did you, the teacher, have to understand in order to teach this lesson well (cite sources)?
In order for me to teach this lesson well I had to understand what would help students understand
classification well. In the book Mathematics Teaching Developmentally it says that attribute materials can be ways
that helps students sort (Van De Walle). Knowing this, I chose to do an activity where students had a numerous
amounts of triangles, and they had the opportunity to sort those out based on what was taught. Having them work
with tools to help them solve the problem helped those who learned with hands on activities.
2. What experiences did students have prior to the lesson that should have helped them be successful? What are
some concepts and procedures they should have had some understanding of to be successful? (cite sources)
Students had prior knowledge with shapes. They just learned what parallelograms were and the different
types of parallelograms. With this lesson they would be in level 1 of the Van Hiele level of geometric thought (Van
De Walle). They would be learning the properties of a specific shape, and this lesson was on the triangle. They
knew that a triangle had 3 sides and 3 corners, but what they were about to learn were the other properties. These
were going to be taught by classifying them based on the measurements of the sides and angles.
3. Reflect on your assessment plan. Were you able to use it? Why or why not? Useful data allows you to monitor
individual, small group and whole class progress toward developing conceptual understanding, procedural fluency
and reasoning/problems solving skills. If you were not able to collect useful data for at least half of your children,
how would you change your assessment plan?

I was able to use my assessment plan. There was time for students to do their exit pass and all but one
student turned in their homework. From the exit pass I was able to see who needed more assistance with the
lesson because I kept record of how many time they went back to correct their exit pass. Many of them were
forgetting that there were 2 possible ways to classify the triangles. Some were also getting mixed up with the
angles. Some who were having a difficult time on the exit pass did better on the homework, and some didnt.
What I found interesting was that there were two students who did well on their exit pass, but when it came to doing
homework, they didnt do so well. Using the assessment plan helped me see who needed extra assistance, and to
see what areas I needed to emphasis on while teaching and reteaching.
4. What understandings did the children exhibit? List at least five specific things the students did and said that are
evidence of understandings. If they did not show evidence of understanding, what would you have asked to get
more information?
Students were able to exhibit understandings on weather they could classify triangles based on their sides,
angles or if they could find the missing degree of a triangle. One student during the lesson was able to answer all
my questions I asked. When I asked how many ways were there to classify a triangle, he was able to tell me that
there were 2 ways, one by measuring the sides and the other is by the angles degrees. He was able to show the
class and I how a scalene triangle looked like. When I explained how to find the missing degree of a angle, he was

also able to show me. In the exit pass, he was able to get all three parts correct without having to make any
corrections. When doing the activity with his group, he classified the triangles correctly and corrected his group
members and explained to them why. But, when his homework came back, it showed that he was not able to
classify triangles by angles. He only knew how to classify them by their sides.
5. What misunderstandings did the children exhibit? List at least five specific things that students did and said that are
evidence of misunderstandings? If they did not show evidence of misunderstandings, what could you ask to get
more information?
There was one student who did exhibit misunderstandings. When I asked him questions, he was able to
answer them, but when doing group work and independent work he had a difficult time. I asked him, how many
ways are there to classify a triangle, he told me there are 6 ways. I asked him what were those ways and he didnt
know how to answer. When I explained to him the 3 types of triangles after measuring the sides, I gave him an
example of a triangle and asked him to tell me which triangle is it. He told me a triangle based on its angles
instead. In his exit pass he has to redo it 3 times. He was able to tell identify the triangle based on its angles, but
had to redo it for the sides. He was able to show how to find the missing degree of an angle. When the homework
came back, he still showed that he wasnt able to classify based on the measurements of the sides, even after I
worked with him one-on-one.

6. What would you do the same and differently if you could teach this lesson again? Include specific ideas that are
related to the Process Standards (pp. 3-5), the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practices (pp. 5-7),
Selecting Worthwhile Tasks (pp. 36-42), Orchestrating Classroom Discourse (pp. 42-46) and/or Planning for All
Learners (pp. 64-70).
What I would have done the same is continue to make connections from previous lessons. This will help
them understand the lesson being taught more and it will also build understanding on the previous lesson. With the
process standard, I may want to use more reasoning and proof. That may have gotten students to understand and
see that there are 2 different ways to classify the triangles. With the activity, I could have been much clearer on
what I would allow them to do. Some students who were cutting the triangle were able to measure it better and
were able to get an accurate answer. For the students who were having a bit of a difficult time with classifying
triangles, I could have rephrased more and when asking students I couldve asked them to elaborate by asking
them to give examples for others to see.
7. If you were to teach a follow-up lesson, what would be the focus of the next lesson? What would the specific
problem/task be? (Written as it would be presented to students)
If I were to do a follow-up lesson, I would focus mainly on the classifying triangles and the properties of each
of those triangles. I would focus on why an equilateral triangle was called an equilateral, why a scalene was a
scalene, and why an isosceles was an isosceles. My focus will also be on the acute, obtuse and right triangles. I

would do an activity on comparing each one and finding out if a scalene could be a acute triangle as well or an
obtuse, and so forth.
I tell the students Okay class, do you remember when we learned about the different ways to classify
triangles? Well today we will be able to go deeper on this. We will be learning why these triangles are able to be
classified with each of its name. We will also be able to compare them to one another and see if any of them can
make connections to each other.