Geometer Sketchpad is a computer program that is very useful for drawing figures to exact tolerances in order to study their geometry. Whether the student needs to study angles, circles, triangles, any other shape or how they all relate to each other, Geometer Sketchpad can provide a way to produce accurate figures that have exact angles, lengths, and can even keep proportions correct when changing the figures.
Geometer Sketchpad does not require in depth knowledge of the program in order to use the basic functions. It is very simple to produce basic shapes, and could probably be used by students as young as first grade. Yet it also can be complex enough to be used at the college level when studying angle relationships and the way to produce perfect figures with many sides such as nonagons and the like.
Here is an excellent lesson plan involving Geometer Sketchpad.
Here is a tutorial that covers the basics of the program and provides links for further study.
I hope you now have a better understanding of what Geometer Sketchpad is and how it can enhance a math class.
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My name is Ryan Stahl and my area is elementary education.
ReplyDeleteI could use geometer sketchpad in my classroom by helping the students learn shapes. Not only shapes, but how shapes fit together and use it as a problem solving tool as well. With older students such as fifth grade, I could use this tool to study angle relationships betweens sides and shapes.