Education Technology


Rotations in the Plane

Activity Overview

In this activity, students will explore the properties of rotations and the relationships between the original and image figures.

Before the Activity

  • Install the Cabri Jr. App on the students' graphing calculators using TI Connect™, a TI Connectivity cable and the unit-to-unit link cables
  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 19 - 28 from the attached PDF file for your class
  • During the Activity

    Distribute the pages to your class.

    Follow the Activity procedures:

  • Construct a rotation angle tool
  • Construct a triangle and perform a rotation
  • Investigate the relationship between the original triangle (the pre-image) and the new triangle (the image)
  • Drag a vertex of the pre-image, a side of the pre-image, the entire triangle, center of rotation, and one of the radius points around the circle and explore the changes in the new triangle
  • Understand which properties of the triangle are preserved by the rotation and which are not
  • After the Activity

    Students will fill in the Data Collection and Analysis sheet.

    Review student results:

  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary