Teacher:

William Otto
Course:
Geometry
Unit:
Solids
Lesson:
Intro to Similarity
Date:
20 April 2015
Period:
4th (9:57-10:45)
Materials:
Projector, Computer
Objective:
SWBAT use similarity of polygons IOT determine missing side lengths
Hook:
Slide with animation of pantograph drawing a heart
Today, we are going to learn what this is, how it works and how it relates to our next unit,
similarity!
Sphere/Density Quiz (7 mins)
Students will take a two question mini-quiz on the volume of sphere and density/displacement
Hook: (5 mins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9huL6c3eVs
Video of artist using pantograph to scale up an image and discuss afterwards
Questions to Ask:
-What is going on here?
-What does this tool let the artist do?
-How do you think this works?
-What is the relationship between the original image and the artists drawing? are they
congruent?
-How could you describe their relationship?
Try to come up with a tentative definition for similarity
Instruction: (10 mins)
Show slides with various images and pose the question, Does this express similarity or not?
with the goal of refining our definition of similarity (some options below)

Questions to Ask:
-Do you think these are similar? Why or why not?
-What has to be true for two objects or shapes to be similar?
-Are congruent shapes similar?
Show slide with official definition of similarity stressing the importance of
congruent angles
and
proportional sides
Make sure students are comfortable with the concept of proportionality
Show slide with basic proportions and solve them together to get practice before applying to
shapes
Guided Practice: (10 mins)
Show slide with two figures that appear to be similar but may or may not actually be
Questions to Ask:
-Geometrically or mathematically, how can we determine if these shapes are similar?
-What measurements should we take?
Pull up screen and measure shape on the board, writing in measurements as we go. Possibly have
students come up and take measurements
-How can we use these measurements to determine if they are similar?
-What needs to be congruent? What needs to be proportional?
-What needs to be true about the proportions between the sides of the two shapes?
-How can we determine if the shapes are proportional?
-Are they similar?
Show slide with two more shapes, indicating that they are similar, and missing measurements, go
through determining the missing measurements with students
Independent Practice: (7 mins)
Show slide with a few sets of similar shapes and have students determine missing sides and
angles. Review the solutions when all students have finished at least two of the problems
Exit Ticket: (2 mins)
What two things need to be true for two shapes to be similar?
True or false: Every equilateral triangle is similar.

Complete Visual Brainstorm: (5 mins)

Complete our discussion and resolution of brain teaser from Friday. Have students give their
answer and reasoning and discuss how to solve it with only one weighing
Homework:
pg. 568, ex. 7-14