Students in precalculus and trigonometry classes are expected to know the unit circle. To reinforce learning the angle measures in radians and the corresponding coordinates on the unit circle, I designed a classroom game called the radian walk.
This game is similar to a cake walk using the
unit circle. Use electrical tape or masking tape to
make a unit circle with diameter about twelve feet
on the floor in the middle of the classroom. Make
the x- and y-axes to mark the 90 degree angles.
Label them so that students know the location of 0
radians. Mark the 30 degree, 45 degree, and 60
degree angles in each quadrant.
Place a spinner at
the origin. Turn on a tape player and have the students
walk around the circle until the music stops.
At that point each student must be on one of the
marked angles of the unit circle. Spin the spinner.
The spinner indicates the student who must name
her or his coordinates and place on the unit circle.
If that student makes a mistake, she or he is eliminated from the game. The person remaining on the circle after all others have dropped out is the winner. If your class size is larger than fifteen or sixteen students, you may want to use two unit circles.
The students need to have some knowledge of the unit circle before they play this game. Click below for Ms. Kusz-Severson's Snowman idea which she uses before the Radian Walk.