AngLegs

Manipulative Portfolio - Entry 2

Aurora Turmelle
Description
Grade range: K-12

AngLegs is a kit of variously colored and sized sticks (six

different colors, six different length sticks) that can snap
together in order to form different kinds of shapes and
angles. This manipulative can be used to teach students
Geometry ranging from the basic properties of shapes, finding
area and perimeter, the process of calculating angles, as
well as trigonometry.
Pictures
Connection to Research
‘Concrete’ Manipulatives, Concrete Ideas

This article discusses the impact that manipulatives can have in enhancing mathematics
ideas and concepts. By carefully choosing manipulatives that parallel what they are
teaching, teachers are able to find ways to integrate the different kinds of “concrete”
knowledge. As Douglas H. Clements, the author, describes, there are two major types of
“concrete” knowledge that enables students to successfully transfer their understanding
from manipulatives to their abstract understanding. Sensory-Concrete knowledge, which is
the use of sensory material to make sense of an idea, and Integrated-Concrete knowledge,
which is the connection of many separate ideas as students learn. By teachers integrating
manipulatives that help students enhance their Sensory-Concrete and Integrated-Concrete
knowledge, teachers are able to enhance student understanding and academic performance.

Thus, since AngLegs are designed to work in conjunction with the material that students
are learning, the manipulative allow students to build their understanding by physically
handling the manipulative (and by extension, the angles and shapes that the manipulative
is able to form), as well as working to act as a representation of how the various
geometric concepts and properties come together to create shapes and angles.
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.A.2
Draw (freehand, with ruler and protractor, and with technology) geometric shapes with given conditions. Focus on
constructing triangles from three measures of angles or sides, noticing when the conditions determine a unique
triangle, more than one triangle, or no triangle.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.B.5
Use facts about supplementary, complementary, vertical, and adjacent angles in a multi-step problem to write and
solve simple equations for an unknown angle in a figure.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.A.5
Use informal arguments to establish facts about the angle sum and exterior angle of triangles, about the angles
created when parallel lines are cut by a transversal, and the angle-angle criterion for similarity of triangles.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.B.6
Explain a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse.
Instructional Procedure
1. Begin by introducing students to the manipulative, and explaining the purpose of
using them in math class.
2. Demonstrate in front of the class of how to properly use the manipulative (by
creating shapes and using the protractor).
a. Demonstrate how to create basic shapes (like a square) and angles, and how
to measure the angles by using the protractor.
3. Have students break into pairs to work on creating different kinds of shapes and
angles with the AngLegs so that they can practice using the manipulative, and
they can work with a partner to review materials.
4. After students demonstrated a solid understanding of how to use the manipulative
using their previous knowledge of shapes and angles, the teacher will put a set
of shapes and angles up on the board for students to independently create using
the AngLegs (angles like acute, obtuse, supplementary, complementary).
5. As students work on creating these shapes and angles, the teacher should be
floating around the room checking in with students to monitor understanding.
Technology Applications
This video is a tutorial of how
to use AngLegs to prove a
theorem.

Though it’s not the point of

the video, the SmartBoard that
the teacher is using to
demonstrate how to use the
manipulative could act as an
online manipulative that could
be used instead of the physical
pieces for students who
struggle with fine motor
skills, or for those with a
preference of using an app
versus the physical
manipulative.
Assessment Methods
AngLegs could be used as a formative assessment to determine a
students understanding of geometric vocabulary as well as angle
measurements (i.e. shapes, acute and obtuse angles, supplementary
and complementary angles, etc). Specifically, the teacher could
prompt students to create certain kinds of angles or shapes out of
the AngLegs, and then monitor their understanding by the student's
correctness

Further, the teacher could have the students create different kinds
of shapes, and ask the students to come up with ways to prove
Euclid’s propositions, or derive different kinds of formulas (like
the sum of interior angles formula).
Personal Experience
Though I don’t have a personal experience with AngLegs, I
really feel that they would have benefitted me as I first
started to learn Geometry, and learning how to use a
protractor.

Specifically, as a visual-kinesthetic learner, I feel that

AngLegs would have helped me when trying to understand how to
measure angles, the various properties of triangles,
different kinds of equations, and could even help me now as
I’m taking College Geometry, and I work to understand the
what the propositions from Euclid’s Elements mean, as well as
their proofs.
References
Clements, D. H. (1999). ‘Concrete’ Manipulatives, Concrete
Ideas. Retrieved from
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.2304/ciec.2000.1.
1.7

Joyce, D. E. (1996). Euclid’s Elements Book I. Retrieved

from
https://mathcs.clarku.edu/~djoyce/elements/bookI/bookI.html