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ERIC Number: EJ781043
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Dec
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1073-5836
EISSN: N/A
What's Your Angle on Angles?
Browning, Christine A.; Garza-Kling, Gina; Sundling, Elizabeth Hill
Teaching Children Mathematics, v14 n5 p283-287 Dec 2007
Although the nature of the research varies, as do concepts of angle, research in general supports the supposition that angle is a complex idea, best understood from a variety of perspectives. In fact, the concept of angle tends to be threefold, consisting of: (1) the traditional, static notion of two rays meeting at a common vertex; (2) the idea of an angle as the space between these two rays (angle as wedge); and (3) a more dynamic idea of angle as a representation of a turn. Trying to make sense of a more dynamic concept of angle requires a move beyond paper-and-pencil tasks, leading to technology as a useful aid. Thus, in an attempt to provide students with such opportunities, the authors of this paper developed activities that focus on angle and angle measure and that incorporate hands-on activities, graphing calculator applications, and computer software. For several years, these activities were implemented in a college geometry course designed for preservice elementary and middle school teachers, and have recently been implemented in a sixth-grade classroom. This article focuses on the outcomes of the research with the sixth-grade students, concentrating on what transpired as the students engaged in these activities and what concepts of angle evolved during and after their experiences. (Contains 3 figures.)
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1502. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-3702; Fax: 703-476-2970; e-mail: orders@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 6
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A