Justin Fraser-deHaan Curriculum Project MSM 705, Fall 2012

Angle Measure Rules

Source: http://xkcd.com/1029

Introduction:

This lesson will introduce the concepts of supplementary, complementary,

adjacent, and vertical angles and their utility in solving for unknown angles in a

figure. Learning about the connectedness of these rules should also help to

reinforce students comfort with various properties of equality and congruence. The

lesson will also seek to emphasize potential real-world applications of these rules.

The topic lends itself well to being introduced in tiers, with one rule following the

others. Introducing facts about adjacent angles first, leads naturally to the facts

about supplementary and complementary angles when additional informationthe

angle measure of a straight line and a right angleis given. Similarly, the vertical

angle rule follows naturally from facts about supplementary angles and properties

of equality. The topics also stand as an important baseline towards the learning of

trigonometry.

The facts about angle rules are an excellent way for visual learners to

conceptualize simple algebraic equations as well. The lesson, to this end, integrates

the use of variables in place of angle measures at times to help reinforce recently
Justin Fraser-deHaan Curriculum Project MSM 705, Fall 2012

acquired knowledge about the use of variables in solving equations for an unknown.

The facts about vertical angles can also help to enforce rules such as the additive

property of equality.

These rules also allow for many activities involving real-world applications as

well as the integration of technology, especially when combined with recently

acquired knowledge about triangles. The facts help preview the skills of indirectly

measuring something that cannot easily be directly measured. This can help many

learners to make more mental connections to mathematical material.

The connectedness of these rules with properties of equality and similarity

also make problems using these rules a favorite of standardized test makers. Giving

students a solid footing with the use of these rules will not only advance their ability

to work with geometry and algebra, but also provide them a leg up on many

otherwise difficult looking and stressful standardized test problems.

I. Setting the Stage

A. Curriculum Framework Standards:

7.G.5. Use facts about supplementary, complementary, vertical,
and adjacent angles in a multi-step problem to write and use them to
solve simple equations for an unknown angle in a figure.
B. Generative Topic:
Equivalency and equality: geometric equivalency.
C. Measurable Objectives:
i. After day one students will be able to complete a worksheet
involving filling in the unlabeled angle and recognize whether they
are using facts about adjacent, supplementary, or complementary
angle with 80% accuracy or better.
ii. After day two students will be able to solve for the unlabeled angles
in relation to an angle labeled only with a symbol or letter and
classify each problem according to whether they used facts about
vertical, adjacent, complementary, or supplementary angles or
whether they could have used more than one rule.
iii. After day three students will use paper, pencil, straight edge,
protractor and any other craft materials available to construct sets
of intersecting lines. They will then label enough angles for another
Justin Fraser-deHaan Curriculum Project MSM 705, Fall 2012

student to be able to solve for the missing angles using the angle
rules. Students must construct at least two sets of intersecting lines
for each angle rule and, after trading with a partner, will be able to
solve for the missing angles and choose which rules to use in
solving with at least 90% accuracy.
D. End of Lesson Assessment:
i. After a brief review at the beginning of day four, students will be
given a formal written assessment consisting of 10 multi-step
problems requiring the use of at least one angle rule per problem,
in addition to knowledge of the angle measure of right angles,
straight lines and triangles. [see Appendix A for copy of
assessment]

II. Content of the Lesson

A. Content and Skills:

a. Content: The lesson will begin with an introduction of adjacent
angles and how using this rule relates to simple addition and
subtractionadding two particular values gives a third value,
subtracting one of those initial values from the third value will result
in the other initial value. It continues by introducing the concept of
supplementary and complementary angles as something of a
special case of the rule of adjacent angles and then shows the
vertical angle rule as just a further extension of these rules and
properties of equality. This at once previews the concept of proofs
and axiomatic systems and makes it allows students to see that
they dont need to memorize as many rules as it might appear.
b. Key terms:
i. Adjacent angletwo or more angles sharing a common side
or vertex.
ii. Complementary anglethe angle which, when added
adjacent to another, makes the sum of the two angles equal
to a right angle.
iii. Supplementary anglethe angle which, when added
adjacent to another, makes the sum of the two angles equal
to a straight line.
iv. Vertical anglethe equivalent angles formed when to
straight lines intersect; can be derived by applying the
supplementary angle rule twice.
v. Straight linean angle measure 180 degrees.
vi. Right anglean angle measuring 90 degrees.
c. Essential Question: How much can we learn about math from one
fact, like the adjacent angle rule?
B. Rationale:
a. This lesson provides students with important knowledge on which
many future skills in geometry, such as the ability to measure
something indirectly, are built. It was these rules, for example, that
helped Eratosthenes measure the circumference of the Earth over
2000 years ago.
Justin Fraser-deHaan Curriculum Project MSM 705, Fall 2012

III. Knowledge of Students

The lesson is intended for a class of 24 7 th graders who have had

previous exposure to solving simple algebraic equations (7.EE.4.) and
are able to construct figures using straight edge and protractor or
technology (7.G.2.).

IV. Preparation for the Procedures:

A. Materials (teacher): Computer running powerpoint, projector and

whiteboard or smartboard, Geogebra or similar program.
B. Materials (student): Pencils, straight edge, protractor, craft supplies
(optional), Geogebra or similar program.

V. Sequence of Teaching-Procedures:

Day 1

a. Administer, and collect for assessment purposes, 5 problem pre-

test worksheet with similar question types to the end of lesson
assessment. (5-10 minutes)
b. Using a brief powerpoint presentation, introduce the term adjacent
angle to describe two angles which share a common side. First
show a set of adjacent angles with both of the small angles as
well as the big angle labeled with a numerical angle measure to
allow students to start to see on their own the relationship between
the three numbers. Then show a slide with only two of the three
angles labeled and ask students to guess what the missing label
should be. (5-10 minutes)
c. Have the students work in groups of 3-4 to solve a short worksheet
involving solving for the unlabeled angle in a set of adjacent angles.
(5-10 minutes)
d. Continue the powerpoint, introducing supplementary and
complementary angles. For both terms, introduce them first as a
special case of adjacent angles. Then introduce the concept of
finding the complement or supplement for a given angle measure
that is, for example, if we ask for the supplement of a given angle
we are asking for the angle which, when added to the given angle,
yields 180 degrees, so we can find that angle by subtracting the
given angle from 180. (5-10 minutes)
e. Several stations will be set out throughout the room. Each one will
have a pile of angle measures; Work in teams to try to group
together pairs of numbers that form supplementary or
complementary or three angles which represent two adjacent
angles and their sum (the big angle). (15-20 minutes)
f. Bring the students back to their individual seats to complete a
worksheet involving filling in the unlabeled angle and recognize
Justin Fraser-deHaan Curriculum Project MSM 705, Fall 2012

whether they are using facts about adjacent, supplementary, or

complementary angle with 80% accuracy or better. (5-10 minutes)
g. Assign homework problems using Geogebra to explore the new
rules.

Day 2

a. Begin the class by having the students go over their homework in

discussion groups of 3-4. Walk throughout the classroom to make
sure each group understood the concepts. (5-10 minutes)
b. Use a powerpoint presentation (available here:
http://tinyurl.com/dyecnkg) to review the facts about adjacent,
complementary and supplementary angles and introduce vertical
angles. After introducing the vertical angle rule, ask students what
other rules can be applied to find additional unlabeled angles in the
intersection of two lines. You should begin to hint at the relationship
between the vertical angle rules and the previous rules about
adjacent and supplementary angles. Field any questions or
comments from students at this time. (10-15 minutes)
c. Have students work in groups of 3-4 to complete a worksheet with a
set of intersecting lines, with only one angle per set of intersecting
lines labeled. Students should label all remaining angles. Hint: lines
that look straight, parallel or perpendicular are that. Make sure to
show each group where there might be more than one rule that
could be used to solve for a missing angle.(10-15 minutes)
d. Working individually, give students a new worksheet to solve for the
unlabeled angles in relation to an angle labeled only with a symbol
or letterthat is, label one angle a and then label the rest of the
angles in relation to that one angleand classify each problem
according to whether they used facts about vertical, adjacent,
complementary, or supplementary angles or whether they could
have used more than one rule. (10 minutes)
e. Assign homework problems, again using Geogebra, to explore
relationship between angles with intersecting lines.

Day 3

a. Begin the class by having the students go over their homework in

discussion groups of 3-4. Walk throughout the classroom to make
sure each group understood the concepts. (5-10 minutes)
b. Use a powerpoint to explicitly show how adjacent/supplementary
angle rules could be used to find all of the angles in a pair of
intersecting lines, without using the adjacent angle rules. Some
students will have discovered this on their own, so be sure to allow
time for students to answer questions during the presentation. (5-
10 minutes)
c. Have students use paper, pencil, straight edge, protractor and any
other craft materials available to construct sets of intersecting lines
and line segments. They will then label enough angles (with either
numbers or letters/symbols) for another student to be able to solve
Justin Fraser-deHaan Curriculum Project MSM 705, Fall 2012

for all of the unlabeled angles using the angle rules. Make sure each
constructed problem set has at least two problems for each angle
rule. (20-25 minutes)
d. Have the students exchange the problem sets they made with
another student and label all remaining angles. (10 minutes)
e. Let students know there will be a quiz on what they have learned
the next day. Field any final questions on the material (5 minutes).

Day 4
a. Have students get back together with the student they exchanged
problem sets with the day before. Allow them to correct each
others problems sets (so that they will be correcting the problem
set they created) and offer constructive criticism. Walk throughout
the classroom to make sure problems are being assessed correctly
and that students are following the rules and being positive with
each other. (5-10 minutes)
b. Administer and then collect formal assessment. (10-15 minutes)

Bibliography

"Massachusetts Curriculum Framework For Mathematics." Massachusetts Department of

Education.
Ed. Mitchell D. Chester. Mar. 2011. Web. 18 Dec 2012.

Office of Licensure and Field Placement Practicum Handbook. Salem State University
School of Education, Fall 2012.
http://salemstate.edu/assets/documents/ACA_sohs/Practicum_Handbook_Fall_2012_FINAL_11
.09.2012.doc