Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Break Linguine

I tried a lesson today I've never done before.

Students were (trying) to see that the only information needed to determine if two triangles are similar is the measure of two pairs of corresponding angles.

(HEY...NON-MATH PEOPLE...WAKE UP!)

The lesson involved making triangles out of linguine noodles. I knew the lesson was going to be a challenge, but I wanted to try it.

And then...

First, I was late to class due to a meeting that started during my planning period (my partner teacher was in there, so she got my students started on work some of them needed to finish).

When I got to class and was able to get started, I explained to the students we were going to try a lesson that was new to me and we were all going to enjoy the ride.

Well...we broke linguine into pieces and made things that resembled triangles.

Some linguine was broken into itty-bitty pieces.

One pair of students saw what I needed them to see. I showed their linguine triangles to the whole class.

I would not call it a successful lesson.

But, you know what? I didn't sweat it.

The kids said they had fun playing with the linguine. We were successful at matching the measurement of one angle. The kids all helped me clean up linguine from desks and the floor. No one stressed out that the lesson wasn't working because *I* wasn't stressing that the lesson wasn't working.

My wheels are turning, and I'm trying to figure out how I could make that lesson more successful in the future.

Monday we'll pick up and move on.

Not every lesson is a home run. Sometimes it's a pile of pieces of broken linguine.

And that's OK.