Topic: Introduction to obtuse, acute, right, and straight angles
Goal: Students will be able to identify characteristics of angles and differentiate between them.
Materials: rapper props for teacher in role (hat, baggy clothes, etc.)
"For today's class, we are going to explore a lesson that uses drama. We would like you all to take on a role, and imagine that you all are Grammy award-winning rap artists. I will take on a different, surprise role, which you will see shortly. What do you all know about rap artists? What is rap music like? In order to do this, can we agree to pretend and stay in character for this lesson? Great. I am going to turn around for a moment. When I turn back around, I will be in role as a different character, and so will you."
Teacher-in-Role
"Yo, how are you peeps today? We're the Geometrics! Has anyone heard our songs? They're crunk, man. No? We started out as teachers but we wanted to get the big bucks, get the ice, ya know what I'm sayin? We're having trouble getting our music the attention is needs. This song is topping the charts and we need to beat it!"
Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooa8nHKPZ5
"How about y'all, what's the title of your Grammy-Award winning hit? Win any other awards? What for? Since y'all have songs that have topped the charts, we thought we could get your help on our latest song idea. We want to write a song about angles for all the smart math hoods out there. This is what we have so far: AROS is what I use to name Listen, my friends, it is a game. Name my angles is what I say Look and listen and you can play. AROS is what I use to name Because all angles are not the same!
"This is the first group we're flowing with. We're going to take the song we come up with back to our agent at the end of the day and whichever song he likes best, that group will win a prize. So keep it real, okay? Let's get a beat going first, so we know the rhythm for our rap…OK, now let's start brainstorming with obtuse, what does this image of the angle remind you of? Now, how can we take these ideas and turn them into lyrics?"
Repeat for acute, right, and straight. Get a beat going again and go over lyrics for the whole song.Have some students scribe lyrics on the board to send to the agent. Explain that you're going to record it as a music video rehearsal with them so you can show their work to an agent.
Strategies to involve the whole class: Some students can videotape the rehearsal, dance, position lights and microphones, take photos, create sounds and beat and keep it going.
Possible Side coaching:
- "Remember, the flow needs to reflect the MEANING of the type of angle."
- "How can the lyrics explain the angles?"
- "Make sure your flow is not whack."
- "Listen to your inner rapper."
"Awesome work peeps! Represent! We gotta go take the demo tape to our agent now. Now, when we turn around we will go back to being ourselves."
Describe: What did you like about this activity?
Analyze: What skills did you have to use to be successful? What did you discover about angles that you didn't know?
Relate: How might this activity be useful in future math lessons?