Sketchpad Activities

This is a list of interactive sketchpad activities which can be very helpful in reinforcing class teaching and work.
The student/user does not need to have Geometer's Sketchpad on his/her machine to access these activities. The latest version of Java is necessary, however, and can be download from this link: JAVA .

1. The sum of the measures of the angles of a triangle is 180 degrees. This applet allows students to change the given triangle, and see that no matter how the triangle is stretched, the sum of its interior angles is equal to 180 degrees. The only way the angle measures cannot equal 180 degrees is by making the three vertex points collinear. Angles of a Triangle

2. Slope of a line. This activity helps to show how the rise and run control the slope of a line. The inclusion of a slope triangle is useful for students to become used to the basic approach in calculating slope. Slope of a Line

3. Build a kaleidoscope! This activity makes use of reflections, how to create and use a special tool in Sketchpad, and allows for student creativity in Geometry. Kaleidoscope

4. Dilations - what are they all about? Dilations

5. Adjustable lines - this sketch shows, by way of sliders, how the slope and y-intercept constants m and b control the "look" of a straight line. You will need Sketchpad to run the program. Slopes and Intercepts

6. Fractals, Iterations and the Sierpinski Triangle: using the Sketchpad to investigate a very interesting topic! Sierpinski