Geometry

Geometry is a required full-year course taught to many freshman. This course prepares students for the geometry regents and other mathematics courses that one will take during their high school years. The material taught includes logic, basic theorems, constructions, and 3-D geometry.

Curriculum
The fall term teaches students about logic, proofs, and mostly qualitative theorems. Basic definitions and postulates are first introduced. With these fundamental tools, the teacher will prove new theorems and eventually build up to new concepts. As the semester approaches an end, there are significantly less proofs and students will begin to solve short answer problems.

During the spring term, students learn about quantitative theorems, analytic geometry, constructions, and 3-D figures. Unlike the fall term in which statements and reasons are used to prove another statement, this term involves much more algebra and calculations. A student should be able to calculate area, understand lengths of chords, and know about the ratios of sides in special triangles by the end of the term.

Ms. Goldberg
Ms. Goldberg no longer teaches enriched/honors geometry. It is presently taught by Ms. Deena Avigdor and Mr. Glen Chew.

Class
The class generally begins with three simultaneous processes: 1. Students work on a Do Now at the front board. 2. Ms. Goldberg checks the homework which is passed up at the start of the class. 3. Students write up their solutions to selected homework problems at the back.

After Ms. Goldberg is done checking the homework, the class goes over the homework solutions at the back board. Mistakes, errors, and sometimes new solutions are briefly discussed. When this is done, the class will move on to going over the Do Now.

The Do Now usually provides students with a review of the previous lesson or prepares them for the lesson of the day (written on the Aim).

When introduced to new concepts, students are usually challenged to write up their own formal definitions for mathematical terms. A class discussion on the most appropriate definition will later determine the definition used for the term. Using these newly defined terms, postulates are formally stated. As the basic building blocks, the postulates are used to prove new theorems. After theorems are taught, an entire period is dedicated to practicing problems. About a week later, a test will be given.

Homework
Ms. Goldberg's homework varies in length, but they are often a few tough problems. They provide students with practice for applying the theorems taught in class. She does not require a student to have a complete solution if they can't solve them, but she does require there to be attempts on the problems. Each student will pass up homework during the beginning of class every day. The only exception to this is when a student is writing up a solution on the back board and therefore must have the homework with them (but it will be checked).

During the beginning of class, a group of students are allowed to write up solutions in the back board, unless there is no homework or instructed otherwise. These groups are selected at the beginning of the year and will be maintained throughout the semester. For instance, it might be set that the first two rows can go up the board on Mondays, middle two rows go up on Tuesdays, last two rows go up on Wednesdays, females go up on Thursdays, and males go up on Fridays.

Tests
Unless otherwise stated, her test covers all of the material taught from the time of the previous test to the lessons approximately a week before the next test. Her tests can be considered fair since many of the students score around the low 90's to the 80's. Students can finish the test in a period, but it is not unusual to have a number of students not finish. There is an extra credit on the test hence a maximum score of 105 points for each test.