Geometry: All things Parallel, with a transversal

Okay, while I enjoy teaching Algebra 1 my favorite class is geometry.  I cannot state this enough.  This includes all of my activities, notes, and games I use teaching parallel lines.  My students have have really impressed me with the projects and even the game (considering the lack of enthusiasm for the study guide, go figure).

Let's begin with the notes.  I always have students shade in the acute angles one color and the obtuse another color.  Then, we put that the angles that are the same color = each other and the opposite colors = 180.  This really helps drive home the main two concepts.  Then, we discuss the interior vs. exteriors.  I hint that same-side starts with an S and so does supplementary.  Trying to help them recall the terms as well.  The foldable helps them organize the congruent angle relationships compared to the supplementary.

We do a little practice on worksheets, playing review games to get the answers.  On to the first project!  Design your own city.  I love this project, because I get to go over my previous profession in architecture and review urban design.  I show them images from my portfolio of how they could one day take this project to design cities.  Ya know, get them as excited as I am about the project.  I get to even throw in a mini lesson about scale. You can find the rubric I used here.  This was not my activity, but I loved the rubric and why re-create the wheel?

Review. Practice.  Time for the review game!  I didn't want my students that would be all so tempted to keep my real dice, so I had them cut out a template out of paper for the next activity.  I had played one similar to this activity before, but this one seemed to work out great.  Again, why re-create the wheel?  My kids surprised me in how engaged they were.  They had the terminology down!  We shall see how they do on the test, but right now I am pleased as punch.