Short Description: leo.jpg (20451 bytes)

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/8228/leo.htm

Web Quest for Basic Geometry

Mrs. Marylee Eargle

Short Description: Introduction

What is a Renaissance Man? What is The Golden Ratio?

A “Renaissance Man/Woman” is a man or woman who has broad intellectual interests and is accomplished in areas of both arts and sciences. The Golden Ratio (called phi) is a ratio of the length to the width of the Golden Rectangle, which is often defined to be the most aesthetically pleasing rectangular shapes. This Golden Rectangle appears in nature and is used by man in both art and architecture.

Your quest will involve The Golden Ratio and more as you travel the web and your mind as the “Renaissance Man”.

Have a great journey!

Short Description: The Task

Short Description:

You are going on a journey. You will work in pairs to research, investigate and analyze the connection to the Golden Ratio. Each of you will become an historian, an artist ( architect) and a geometer. In the role of each, you will gather information and analyze it in some manner (as designated in the process).

When you finish you will be able to discuss the Golden Ration in each of these fields. You will have become the “Renaissance Man” in the Golden Ratio.

Prepare to embark on a fascinating trip of discovery!

http://www.wanderwoman.com/journey.htm

Short Description: The Process

“The universe cannot be read until we have learnt the language and become familiar with the characters in which it is written. It is written in the language of mathematics.”

Galileo Galalei

This journey will take 5 days. There will be definite tasks for each day of the journey.

Prerequisite: The day before your journey begins you will view the video “Donald Duck in Mathemagic Land”. Your discussion of this video will put you in focus for your journey.

DAY 1 - HISTORIANS Each member of your team will choose one of the historical figures below and follow the activities for your chosen person. (20 points)

l. Pythagoras http://plato.evansville.edu/public/burnet/ch2a.htm

2. Phidias http://www.1upinfo.com/encyclopedia/P/Phidias.html

3. Euclid http://www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/Mathematicians/Euclid.htm l

In the role of this your chosen historian do or answer the following:

l. Write two paragraphs about your life and what you are known for.

2. Copy a picture to your work (if available).

3. State briefly the way(s) in which you contributed to mathematics or the Golden Ratio.

DAY 2 & DAY 3 - ARTISTS or ARCHITECTURE Choose an artist or a building. (40 points)

l. Leonardo da Vinci http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci /

2. Parthenon http://www.sacredsites.com/final40/144.htm l .

3. The Great Pyramid at Giza http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Great_Pyramid.html

Do both of the following : 1. Write two paragraphs on who or what you chose. How does it relate to the Golden Ratio?

2. Do a sketch of your chosen artist’s work or a sketch of the architecture you Do this with care.

Short Description:

DAY 4 & DAY 5 - Now you will be a geometer. You will do 2 constructions, and a calculator activity to derive the Golden Ratio. (40 pts)

l. Define the Golden Ratio. http://www.geom.uiuc.edu/~demo5337/s97b/art.htm

2. On the special paper available in class, construct a Golden Rectangle, using a straight edge and a compass. http://www.mikkeli.fi/opetus/myk/pv/comenius/kultainen.htm

3. Perform the calculator activity to derive the Golden Ratio on this site. http://www.geom.uiuc.edu/~demo5337/s97b/calculator.htm l

4. Construct the Golden spiral from the site. http://www.cpm.informatics.bangor.ac.uk/rpamaths/rpampages/snail.html

Congratulations! You a knowledgeable “Renaissance Man” and an excellent geometer!

Evaluation

.The point value of each set of activities are given for each day(s) activity.

Each student will receive an individual grade.

Beginning

Developing

Accomplished

Exemplary

Score

Content

Content shows little effort and almost no evidence of concepts learned..

The project show some effort and some evidence of concepts learned..

The project show good effort and evidence of concepts learned..

The project shows extra effort and there is evidence of concepts learned beyond the scope of this project..

Creativity

The project shows little creativity.

The project shows some creativity.

The project shows creativity.

The project is extremely creative.

Conclusion

You now know the meaning of “Renaissance Man”. Can you think of someone in the modern world who could be termed a “Renaissance Man”?

You know many places in which the Golden Ratio has been used and is continuing to be utilized. As you look out you window, can you see an example of its use in nature?

Credits & References

Exploring Plato’s Dialogues

http://plato.evansville.edu/public/burnet/ch2a.htm

Eurynome’s Journeys

http://www.wanderwoman.com/journey.htm

Dictionary - Phidias

Phidias http://www.1upinfo.com/encyclopedia/P/Phidias.html

Last updated on August 15, 1999. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page

Euclid

http://www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/Mathematicians/Euclid.htm

Leonardo da Vinci

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci