Geometry in Action: A Discovery Approach Using The Geometer’s Sketchpad®

Clark Kimberling, The University of Evansville

Instructor resources available to qualified adopters

Geometry in Action uses Sketchpad™ to awaken student creativity through discovery-based learning. Similar to the popular Sketchpad Add-On Curriculum Modules, it is intended to supplement any college geometry or geometry for secondary mathematics education majors course in which The Geometer’s Sketchpad is used. Students discover geometry through the creation of sketches and custom tools while completing the section assignments and chapter projects. All students must have access to The Geometer’s Sketchpad (Student Edition and Site Licenses available).

Covering topics ranging from points, lines, circles, and triangles to hyperbolic geometry and famous geometric discoveries, Geometry in Action:

• Serves as a life-long geometry and Sketchpad resource
• Begins with an introductory overview of Sketchpad basics
• Concludes with a chapter on non-Euclidean geometry

Each book is packaged with a CD-ROM for students that illustrates what is meant by “geometry in action.” Students explore 27 sketches prepared by the author to demonstrate Sketchpad’s capabilities by dragging points to see shifts in graphs, by animating tesselations to create new patterns, and much, much more! Also included on this CD is the Poincaré Disk, a Sketchpad file used to dig deeper into non-Euclidean geometry with The Geometer’s Sketchpad.

In order to promote discovery-based learning, a CD-ROM is provided for instructors only. This CD contains the full Geometry in Action text annotated with teaching hints and suggestions with links to the full Sketchpad solutions to every assignment and project, and to the necessary customized tools.

Also available packaged with a specially-priced Student Bundle Package of The Geometer’s Sketchpad Version 4. Contact your Key College Publishing sales representative.

Clark Kimberling has a gallery of JavaSketchpad sketches on his web site that correlate to Geometry in Action.