Title: Introduction to Spheres

Name: Elaine Hebert

Date of Lesson: Thursday of Week 2

Description of Class: High School Geometry

Grade Level: High School Geometry

Length of Lesson: 50 minutes

TEKS Addressed:
Geometry:
b.1(C): The student compares and contrasts the structures and implications of Euclidean
and non-Euclidean geometry.
c.1: The student uses numeric and geometric patterns to make generalizations about
geometric properties, including properties of polygons, ratios in similar figures and
solids, and angle relationships in polygons and circles.
d.1: The student analyzes the relationship between three-dimensional objects and related
two-dimensional representations and uses these representations to solve problems.
e.1 (D): The student finds surface areas and volumes of prisms, pyramids, spheres, cones
and cylinders in problem situations.
e. 2(D): The student analyzes the characteristics of three-dimensional figures and their
component parts.

I. Overview:
Students will explore properties of spheres through a hands-on investigation. This will
precede the topic of spherical geometry.

II. Learner Objectives:

Students will be able to:
-find the surface area and volume of a sphere when only the circumference is known.
-measure distances on a sphere.
- estimate surface areas of figures on a sphere’s surface.

III. Materials:
Medium sized Styrofoam balls (one per group)
String to measure around the Styrofoam balls (one per group)
Rulers (one per group)
Attached Handout
Paper (one per group)

Engagement:
Teacher Does Expected Student Ongoing Evaluation
Response
“We are going to get into our Students get into their assigned
groups of 3 and play a word groups of 3.
association game.”
“Today our team building Students listen.
exercise will be a game where I
say a word and your group goes
around writing a word associated
with my word.”
“So take turns in your group. You Students write words in their
will have 2 minutes then we will groups associated with the word
compare our words. The word to ‘sphere’.
associate with is ‘sphere’.”
“Ok, so let’s go around and each Students read their words to the
group can read their words. Take class.
note of the ones that repeat.”
“Ok, I noticed that a lot of you Students listen.
guys said words like ‘ball’ and
‘round’ and even some circle
words like ‘diameter’. This is a
very good start. Today’s activity
deals with properties of spheres.”

Exploration:

Teacher Does Expected Student Ongoing Evaluation

Response
“I’m going to pass out a Students work on the first
Styrofoam ball and a ruler to each problem and discover that finding
group. Each person will get a the diameter and circumference is
worksheet that they must turn in hard with just the ruler. They
at the end of class. You will work suggest a string.
in groups but everyone must turn
in the worksheet. For right now, I
want your group to only be
working on the first problem
dealing with surface area and
volume. Can you figure this out
with just the ruler? Is there an
easier way to do this problem?”
‘Ok, so we figured out that using Students work in their groups to “So the first problem requires us
a string would be easier. I will complete the worksheet. to find the diameter, but we know
pass out a string to each group the circumference by
and you can now, hopefully, get measurement. How are we going
the rest of the worksheet done.” I to find the diameter to find the
go around helping groups. surface area and volume?”
About 10 minutes before the end Students write in their journals
of class- “Now I would like you until the end of class.
guys to get your log books out
and write what you thing was
easy and challenging about this
activity. Also, how were you a
good group member today? Did
you learn something new?”
“Tomorrow we will be exploring
properties of other 3-D shapes.” I
pick up the journals and
materials.

Explanation:

“Spherical geometry is different from planar geometry. We discovered that measuring

distances and surface areas on a sphere is a little more difficult than on a 2-D plane due to
the curvature of a sphere. As we all know, our world is a sphere, which is one reason
learning about them is important. We do not notice the curvature of our world because it
is so big. For our final project we will be working with transformations of spheres to a 2-
D plane, like maps of the world, so it is important to remember these properties we have
learned today.”

Elaboration:

If students are interested there is more information about spherical geometry at this
website: http://math.rice.edu/~pcmi/sphere/. There are activities for students to do along
with useful information. Specifically there is a good idea for an extension lesson
exploring the properties of a spherical triangle.
Additionally, using this java applet here: http://torus.math.uiuc.edu/jms/java/dragsphere/,
students can explore more properties of spheres and further their knowledge of spherical
geometry.
Name: Date:

Introduction to Spheres Activity and Assessment

1a. Using just the ruler, estimate the surface area and volume of the sphere. Please show
your work.

1b. What did you measure using the ruler? How did this help you get the surface area and
volume?

1c. What was hard or easy about 1a? Do you think it was an accurate way of measuring
the surface area and volume? What might be a better way of doing part 1a? When you are
finished with this problem, please let the instructor know before proceeding to the next
problems.

2a. Using the string, now find the surface area and volume of this sphere. What did you
have to measure with the string? How did that measurement help you find the surface
area and volume? Please show your work.

2b. What was hard or easy about 2a? Do you think this is a more accurate way than 1a of
measuring the surface area and volume? Why or why not?
3. Make a point on the sphere anywhere. Label it P. Can you find another point, labeled K
that is furthest away from point P? How did you find K? How do you know that it is the
furthest point away from P?

4. Make three points on the surface of the sphere in the shape of a triangle and connect
them (see the picture below). Label the points A, B, and C. This is called a spherical
triangle.

What are some of the differences between this triangle and a planar triangle? Are there
any similarities? (If you wish, you can take a protractor and measure the sum of these
angles.) Estimate the surface area of this triangle. What was easy or hard about measuring
the spherical triangle’s surface area?

5. 2-D planes have a coordinate system we are all familiar with, like grid paper. Can you
think of an example of a spherical coordinate system? How is it similar to and different
from a 2-D coordinate system?