PROVING THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM

Lesson Overview
This lesson teaches students why the pythagorean theorem works.

Standards
National Standards
Common Core Math Standards
A-CED.2:
Create equations in two or more variables to represent relationships between quantities;
graph equations on coordinate axes with labels and scales.
G-CO.10:
Prove theorems about triangles. Theorems include: measures of interior angles of a triangle
sum to 180?; base angles of isosceles triangles are congruent; the segment joining
midpoints of two sides of a triangle is parallel to the third side and half the length; the
medians of a triangle meet at a point.
G-SRT.4:
Prove theorems about triangles. Theorems include: a line parallel to one side of a triangle
divides the other two proportionally, and conversely; the Pythagorean Theorem proved
using triangle similarity.

Prerequisite Knowledge
Students need to know the formulas of area for triangle and rectangle in addition to the
pythagorean theorem.

Supporting Details
Materials
Worksheets from Proving the Pythagorean Theorem in teacher support documents.
Helpful Information for Teachers
This lesso plan was made for three 45 miute class periods.
Documents
proving the pythagorean theorem r1.pdf (2740KB)

Web Links
Instructional Plans
Engage 1 (5-10 min)
1. Engage Details
Sub-components:
Prior Knowledge
Representative Questions:

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 Engage Description:
Ask students questions such as "What is the pythagorean theorem?" and "What are
example of right triangles?" "What are some side legnths that we know?" (3,4,5...)
2. Formative Assessments
Warm-Up

3. Teacher Reflection
(1) What did student prior knowledge indicate about readiness to learn and existing
schema?
proceed; quick review; remediate

Explore 1 (30-45 min)

1. Explore Details
Sub-components:
Test
Representative Questions:

Explore Description:
Have students start working on Proving the Pythagorean Theorem worksheet. (Page
12 in teacher materials) Give each student a full sheet of graph paper to work the
problem out on.
2. Formative Assessments
Record/Data Collection

3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Conjectures being tested? Alignment of testing with the question/content being
explored?
proceed; clarify; remediate; re-engage

Engage 2 (5 min)
1. Engage Details
Sub-components:
Prior Knowledge
Representative Questions:

Engage Description:
If on a diffrent day, remind students of what they had learned from the previous explore.
2. Formative Assessments
Warm-Up

3. Teacher Reflection
(1) What did student prior knowledge indicate about readiness to learn and existing
schema?
proceed; quick review; remediate

Explore 2 (20-30 min)

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1. Explore Details
Sub-components:
Test, Justify

Explore Description:
Split the students into at least three groups. Assign one groupSample Methods to
Discuss: Penelope, another groupSample Methods to Discuss: Nadia and
anotherSample Methods to Discuss: Sophie. (pages 14,15,16 in teacher worksheets)
Have the students discuss their answers among the group, they will be presenting
them later to the whole class. If students ask for help repond with a shrug and suggest
they try it on their own.
2. Formative Assessments
Record/Data Collection

3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Conjectures being tested? Alignment of testing with the question/content being
explored? (2) Justification of approach used to solve question/problem? What
justification tells about understanding?
proceed; clarify; remediate; re-engage

Explain 1 (~15 min)

1. Explain Details
Sub-components:
Evidence/Justify/Verify, Communicate, Alt.explanations
Representative Questions:

Explain Description:
Have each group explain the sample work they worked on and their answers to the
questions on the worksheets.
2. Formative Assessments
Whole Class Discussion

3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Strength of evidence for claims? Ability to verify procedure/results? Skillfulness in
justifying approach/results? (2) Effectiveness of communicating knowledge? (3)
Ability to see alternate explanations?
proceed; re-engage; re-explore; remediate; have students clarify

Engage 3 (10 min)

1. Engage Details
Sub-components:
Motivation/Interest
Representative Questions:
(1) What intrigues/interests you about...? (2) What is confusing about...?
Engage Description:
Have students recall the methods they saw the day before. Have each student decide

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 what method they prefered.
2. Formative Assessments
Formative Probe

3. Teacher Reflection
(1) What interests or intrigues students? How can instruction incorporate these things?
proceed; quick review; remediate

Explore 3 (20-30 min)

1. Explore Details
Sub-components:
Test
Representative Questions:
(1) What do you need to collect?
Explore Description:
Pair students up and have them work on a correct proof with graph paper using their
prefered sample as a starting point. (page 18 in teacher manual) For students who still
need help, give them 20-31 to look at.
2. Formative Assessments
Graph

3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Conjectures being tested? Alignment of testing with the question/content being
explored?
proceed; clarify; remediate; re-engage

Extend 1 (15-20 min)

1. Extend Details
Sub-components:
Transfer
Representative Questions:
(1) How can this be used in the Real-World? (2) What questions/problems are still
unresolved?
Extend Description:
Give studentExtension: Proving the Pythagorean Theorem using Similar Triangles. to
work on independently. (page 19 in teacher manual) If class time does not permit,
students can work on it for homework.
2. Formative Assessments
Elaborate on current Investigation

3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Skillfulness transferring knowledge to new ideas?
debrief; re-engage; re-explore; have students clarify; another extension

Contributed by:

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Jennah Jacobs, Manhattan College, NY

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