School subject: Mathematics/IT

Topic: Measurements to determine the height

Grade: 8th

Number of hours: 2 school hours

Author: Nuno Couto, Colégio Dr. Luís Pereira da Costa, Monte Redondo, Portugal

Short description:

The class was designed to use some Information Technology tools - Google Maps and QR Code reading application - to learn mathematics using the space outside the school.

Students, after installing the necessary applications on their mobile phones, will use Google Maps to find a tall tree and will use what they learned from Similarity of Triangles to determine the height of the tree. They should use a tape measure to measure the shadow and height of a student in the group and then measure the shadow of the tree and use a calculator to determine the height of the tree.

Learning objectives:

• Students install and use technological tools with a purpose.

• Students collaborate as a group to complete a task.

• Students use what they learn in the classroom to solve a problem that appears to them on the outside.

Process:

Introductory part of the lesson:

Explain to students the number of applications of mathematics when moving outside the school space, stimulating their curiosity

Familiarize students with the increasing importance of technological tools in our world and in all areas

Application installation

Students, in the Computer Applications class, install the necessary applications.

Data collection

Students, in groups, use the applications and a tape measure to find the tree, of inaccessible height, and take the necessary measurements to determine the height of the tree.

Problem solution:

Students must determine the relationship between the height and the student's shadow.

Use the tree's shadow to determine its height, using the knowledge acquired in class.

As a group, prepare a report explaining how you determined the height of your tree.

Explain to students the difference between the Save and Save Copy commands.