POSTER FLIP ACTIVITY

Name of strategy: 123.Poster FLIP!

Description of strategy: Introduction/Instructions: 15 min, Group Work: 25 min;
Conclusion: 15 min
o The teacher creates multiple two-page posters that help guide students towards
identifying the trigonometric identities they need to solve the problem with which
they are presented. This graphic organizer help students break down the steps
needed to set up the trigonometric problem prior to flipping to the second page
and actual walking through the problem. This help students plan out where the
problem is going and see the cause and effect of different identities and theorems.
The teacher will begin by walking through an example of a trigonometric
verification problem and provide a completed example of the strategy.
o The students will follow along with the teacher, as he/she reviews the key
identifiers of where to start when trying to verify a trigonometric identity.
o The teacher will work through one problem concerning verifying trigonometric
identities and then pair students up, so they can complete their Poster FLIP
together.
o After students complete their Poster FLIP, they will share their findings with the
class and finally reveal the answer FLIP!
CA California K-12 Academic Content Standards
o Subject: Mathematics Grade: Grades Eleven and Twelve; Area: Trigonometry
10.0 Students demonstrate an understanding of the addition formulas for
sines and cosines and their proofs and can use those formulas to prove
and/or simplify other trigonometric identities.
11.0 Students demonstrate an understanding of half-angle and doubleangle formulas for sines and cosines and can use those formulas to prove
and/or simplify other trigonometric identities.
19.0: Students are adept at using trigonometry in a variety of applications
and word problems.
CA California English Language Development Standards

o Skill: Writing; Area: Strategies and Applications; Proficiency Level: Intermediate

Category: Organization and Focus
o Skill: Reading; Area: Reading Comprehension; Proficiency Level: Intermediate
Category: Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level appropriate text
o Grade Level: Grades 912
How I will teach it: Introduction/Instructions: 15 min, Group Work: 25 min;
Conclusion: 15 min
o The teacher will help students identify the first step in the process, by asking a
leading question to help steer the students towards the right trigonometric identity.
The teacher will lead a class discussion concerning the different trigonometric
identities.

o Next, the teacher tells the students that today they are going to work on
identifying the different key parts of a trigonometric identity problem that helps
us understand what we are doing.
The teacher will then introduce the concept of using different symbols
such as highlighting, circling, underlining, etc. that pulls out the
trigonometric identities properties.
The teacher will then write out what the different identifiers mean and
what they indicate.
o On the board, the teacher will then walk through the first example of the poster
flip. The teacher will highlight, circle, box and draw arrows to the key markers
and then do the flip and using the information found from page one of the
poster the teacher will solve the problem.
o Then, the teacher will put the students into groups and give each group Poster
Flip materials. The Poster Flip will have a problem written on the first page and
two to three hints and key words to spark the thinking of the students. When
students flip the poster to actually complete the problem there will be a numbered
list demonstrating how many steps the students will have to complete.
o Once the students have completed their Poster Flip they will discuss and present
the steps of the problem to the class.
Implications for classroom management:
o Each group of students will receive a blank Poster Flip. The lower-level learners
will receive a partially filled in diagram, as well as a list of the most recent
trigonometric identities.
o The class will work as a group, to complete the class Poster Flip together
o Then, the class will be placed in groups (predetermined) and work on their Poster
Flip, until it is complete.
o After the Poster Flip is complete, students will return to their assigned seats and
each group will come forward and present the steps they walked through and then
reveal the flip for the answer.
Possible Contexts:
o Poster Flips are a type of graphic organizer that helps students identify the key
identifies when solving a trigonometric identity. This visual aid works for a
multitude of topics and concepts and focuses on having the students specifically
identify what steps are needed to accomplish a problem.
Comprehensible Input: Using comprehensible input involves strategies that help
increase students understanding of content. Comprehensible input scaffolds learning
when there is a low-threat environment in which students are encouraged and supported
in their learning.
o Verbal scaffolding summarizing and using think-alouds
o Visual Aides Poster Flip
o Vocabulary Development list of difficult and/or unfamiliar mathematical vocab
and terms and their meanings

o Reading Comprehension partially filled out Poster Flip steps, used as a prompt
for the lower-level learners
Incorporation of language use:
o Listening to instructions, to peers responses, to peers presentations
o Speaking responding to the teachers questions, discussing example problems in
groups and in whole class discussion
o Writing creating example poster flip with step by step explanation of
identifiable trigonometric identities
o Reading looking back in math text to find similar problems to assist them in
verifying their identity
Description of how the ISDP meets the needs of the EL population:
o Instruction focuses on trigonometric identities and the math concept rather than
learning a new language
o It provides frequent opportunities to practice their English in social situations
(working in groups and during whole class discussions, along with having to
present their findings to the class in a formalized setting)
o Practice in reading materials (text) at own instructional levels
Students must read through the trigonometric sections in the text to help
them recall how to identify different trigonometric identities.

Reflection on ISDP
After completing the poster flip activity I was struck by a number of different
occurrences that had occurred during the class time when I was teaching. Overall I was very
pleased with how the activity came off. I felt as if I was able to clearly articulate and explain
exactly how the activity was going to work and what was expected of the students. I will admit

that as the class began I was nervous concerning my ability to explain everything to the students
however after I walked through an example the students were able to easily follow along and
then complete their own project.
The use of an example and walking step by step through the process I believe was a
critical step in helping the students understand what they were going to be doing. For the lower
level learners in the class they often came back to the board where the example was posted
throughout the class to refer to it and to check their work. I also found that having a visual hard
copy for the students to see cut down on the number of questions concerning the particulars of
folding the paper and where to write what. This allowed me to focus on the activity itself instead
of worrying over repeating the same step by step directions.
At the conclusion of the activity as I talked with the students concerning how they felt it
had gone I was surprised by some of the responses. Although the students did answer in ways I
expected concerning what they learned and noticed they also commented on outside connections
that I had not assumed them to be making. They were able to take the idea of cause and effect in
trigonometric functions and apply it to other mathematical concepts that they had learned in the
past or were currently working on. They said it helped them to understand how each step
changed the problem rather then just following the formula.
The only thing I would have changed concerning the project itself would be having an
almost completely filled in Poster for the lower level students. Originally I gave these students a
simpler problem with just a few of the steps filled in however I soon noticed that the students
were confused as to why only some of the steps were written for them and how they were
supposed to fill in the blanks. Unfortunately I do not have any student samples of work to show
since the project was kept in the students portfolios for future reference.