Thursday, June 16, 2016

Pythagorea

Front page
 The other day I searched Geometry apps that could be used in class.  Unfortunately most of the apps I found were either games or made for early elementary.

Occasionally, I found an app that could be used to either reinforce learning or used in a flipped classroom but they were far and few in between.

I stumbled across Pythagorea: Geometry on Squared Paper which is a Geometry app that tests student understanding of certain geometric topics by having them construct it.
Levels
 Rather than focus on individual topics, it reviews a variety of topics in each level. The topics range from squares, parallelograms, perpendicular bisectors, midpoints, angle bisectors, etc.

Although the first level is labeled elementary, it really is a way for anyone to become with familiar using the app.  Each level has at least 10 problems and you must complete each problem before on to the next.

Furthermore, the student must complete all the problems in a level before moving on.
Problem from Very Easy Level

What I find most interesting about this app is that it does not provide the correct answer if a student is wrong.  If an answer is correct, it flashes yellow at the top about the level and problem number while the right arrow on the problem turns red.  If the answer is wrong, nothing happens and the student is expected to keep trying until its right.

In addition to learning what each item is, students are required to develop vocabulary so they know the terms and definitions.  I played the first two levels of this and there were a few questions that made me think and I had to try two or three times.  

Once a level is finished, the app creates a fractal tree based on squares and triangles.  You never know what its going to look like until you are finished.

You do have to have a basic knowledge of geometry to use this app but it would be possible to have students use this with a book so they can look up the material as they use it, otherwise use it once students are at least one quarter into the year.

I like this and I enjoy playing it myself.  I love the fractal trees formed at the end.


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