Pre-Service Mathematics Teacher
trigonometry
Books
Book: Essential Trigonometry: A Self-Teaching Guide
​
ISBN: 978-1937842161
​
Summary:
"This no-nonsense guide provides students and self-learners with a clear and readable study of trigonometry's most important ideas. Tim Hill's distraction-free approach combines decades of tutoring experience with the proven methods of his Russian math teachers. The result: learn in a few days what conventional schools stretch into months. This book teaches general principles that can be applied to a wide variety of problems. It also avoids the mindless and excessive routine computations that characterize conventional textbooks."
Book:Trigonometry Essentials Practice Workbook with Answers
​
ISBN: 978-1477497784
​
Summary:
"This workbook is conveniently divided up into 11 chapters so that students can focus on one trigonometry skill at a time. Skills include the following:
-
converting between degrees and radians;
-
expressing sine, cosine, tangent, secant, cosecant, and cotangent as fractions by looking at right triangles;
-
solving for unknown sides and angles in 45°-45°-90° and 30°-60°-90° right triangles;
-
determining the sine, cosine, tangent, secant, cosecant, and cotangent of multiples of 30° and 45° up to 360° (working with both degrees and radians);
-
practice finding the reference angle for angles in Quadrants II, III, and IV;
-
finding the inverse trig functions;
-
applying the law of sines and the law of cosines to solve for unknown sides and angles in acute and obtuse triangles;
-
solving problems with trig identities (like the angle sum and difference formulas);
-
and solving algebraic equations that feature basic trig functions."
Websites & Apps
Patrick JMT
Patrick JMT (Just Math Tutorials) is a great website for teachers and students! He has lessons and examples from algebra all the way up to differential equations. While he covers many math subject areas, the most resources are for Trigonometry. There are a total of 159 links revolving around trigonometric concepts such as the law of sine, law of cosine, etc. To view more on this website, click the link below!
Lesson Plans & Assessments
Background of Triangles Lesson Plan (Technology Integration)
Trigonometry Lesson Plans for a 15 Day Unit
Trigonometry Paper Plate Unit Circle
This activity was found at http://managingandmotivatingmathminds.blogspot.com/2016/03/paper-plate-unit-circle.html?m=1
​
This project has students create their own trigonometry unit circle that can be used as a reference for future lessons! The different colored lines on the plate correspond to different "special triangles." Click on the link above to access this activity!
Manipulatives
Slinky
This classic toy can be a great teaching tool for trigonometry. Using this will help students visualize the sine and cosine waves. Teachers can plot a graph on the floor using tape, such as masking or painters tape. They can then have two students hold the slinky at different lengths. Students will then "send" a wave back and forth. From here, they can determine the amplitude, frequency, and periods of different length waves!
This trifold has basic concepts of trigonometry, including right triangles, reference angles, and unit circle concepts. This is not only a great resource for teachers, but also students. While students are being introduced to trigonometric concepts, the teacher can copy parts of this trifold to pass out as a handout, which students can use until they master the topic!
Trigonometry Reference Trifold
Trigonometry Identity Manipulatives
These are a great way to teach students how to arrive at a solution given an equation to solve given trig identities. On the left is a picture of these easy to make manipulatives. Each function and number have "grooves" that align with one another. This helps students visually see what matches. Watch the video below to see more on how these manipulatives work!