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Lesson Planning Sheet Title: Constructing Angle Bisectors Learning Objectives: By the end of the lesson: All students should be able to construct an acute angle bisector. Most students should be able to bisect an acute, obtuse, right angle and straight line. Some students should be able to find the equidistant point in a polygon using angle bisectors. Keywords: Bisect, Pair of compasses, Perpendicular Bisector, Equidistant, Inscribed circle Learning Activities Starter/Introduction Students recap calculating the angles within a quadrilateral and triangle. Encourage students to sketch the diagram and show their working out adjacent. It may be necessary to review angles in a quadrilateral, about a point or in a triangle. Have the solutions presented on a mini-whiteboard for assessment and feedback. Development Discuss the definition of Bisector. The class should associate Bi with two and sector with sections. Therefore, to construct an angle Bisector is to split an angle into two equal sections. Use a pair of compasses to mark of two equal points from the intersecting two lines. Discuss how the compasses allow you to do this through the radius constructing a locus. Emphasise that the radius must be fixed for the next bit. From the two arcs, construct two additional arcs within the angle to find the point which is equidistant from both lines. Join the angle intersection to the intersecting arcs. It is important to do this on the main whiteboard using larger versions of the same equipment that the students have. It may be wise to turn of the interactive whiteboard for this. Have class bisect the remaining obtuse, right and acute angles. Assess and feedback. For a perpendicular bisector emphasise the need to determine the centre through two intersecting arcs, of radius greater than half the length of the line, drawn from either end. The arcs need to be above and below the line to join their intersections together for the bisector. For questions g and h guide the students to considering their acute angles rather than trying to construct the reflex ones shown. Students will need to be able to construct a 60 degree angle and perpendicular angle first. Plenary The plenary could be an opportunity for the students to create some display work. Emphasise that intersecting bisectors determine the equidistant point of any triangle. Therefore, a circle could be inscribed within the triangle if the equidistant point has been correctly identified. Differentiation More able: Students could attempt to tri-sect an angle. Less Able Students may need to stick with bisecting acute angles this lesson and move on to perpendicular bisectors next time. Resources: Mini-whiteboards Pairs of compasses Pencils Straight Edge