PROPERTIES OF QUADRILATERALS

Olson, Margaret A.                  Morgan Park High School
                                    1-312-881-5050 
                           
OBJECTIVES

1. Students will discover the names and definitions of different kinds of 
   quadrilaterals. 
2. Students will discover the properties of quadrilaterals. 
3. Students will learn to apply the correct property to each different kind of 
   quadrilateral. 

EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS NEEDED

Overhead Projector, transparencies, and projector pens; Rulers; Protractors; Colored 
acetate plastic models of quadrilaterals for overhead; Colored plastic models of 
quadrilaterals for placement on wall chart; Tape for hanging chart; Large wall or 
blackboard chart with list of all properties of quadrilaterals; and Material to tack 
models on wall chart. 

RECOMMENDED STRATEGY

     Using the overhead projector, place quadrilaterals on the acetate until the 
students have discovered the names of all the different kinds of quadrilaterals. 
     Do a review of vocabulary to be sure that all words in the properties are 
understood, and at the same time develop the definitions of the quadrilaterals. 
     Develop a list of the facts that are true about some or all of the different 
quadrilaterals. These facts or properties are displayed on a wall chart that is hung 
on the blackboard. 
     Then the class is grouped into teams, and each team will be given a set of 
plastic models of quadrilaterals.  The teams are to discuss and measure until they 
discover the properties that belong to their quadrilaterals. Students will be given a 
printout with the list of all the properties. After a period of time, one member of 
each team will go to the chart and place the models on a property that they possess. 
NO MORE THAN ONE KIND OF QUADRILATERAL ON EACH PROPERTY! 
     When finished the team representative should report to the teacher. When all the 
teams have completed the placement, an acetate with the answers will be placed on the 
overhead screen, and the accuracy of answers will be checked. The team that completed 
first and has the highest accuracy is the winner. 
     For homework, the students will have to complete a sheet listing all the 
properties that belong to each different kind of quadrilateral.