Geometry
The agreement between scholar, family, and instructor for the 2026–2027 school year at Beta Academy.
Instructor Information
Your guide through the year.
- Instructor
- Dr. Goodluck Ijezie-Desbois, PharmD
- Course
- Geometry — Mathematical Architects
- School
- Beta Academy
- Room
- Room: TBA
- gijezie-desbois@betaacademy.org
- Family App
- ParentSquare (primary channel for announcements & messages)
- Office Hours
- By appointment — reach out via ParentSquare or email to schedule.
Course Overview
What Geometry asks of a scholar.
Geometry is the study of shape, space, and the logic that ties them together. This course asks scholars to do three things again and again: construct figures precisely, justify claims with proof, and connect the visual world of figures to the symbolic world of algebra. We work from the TEA Bluebonnet Learning Secondary Mathematics curriculum across five modules — from reasoning with shapes, to formal proof, to proportionality and trigonometry, to circles and solids, and finally to probability and informed decision-making.
The Texas process standards (G.1A–G.1G) run through every module: scholars apply mathematics to real problems, choose appropriate tools and representations, and communicate their reasoning in writing and out loud. A scholar who finishes Geometry should be able to look at a figure, ask "how do I know that?", and answer with evidence — for example, recognizing that a right triangle relates its sides through \( a^2 + b^2 = c^2 \) and explaining why.
State assessment: There is no STAAR End-of-Course exam for Geometry. Mastery is assessed locally through teacher-built unit tests and benchmarks aligned to the Geometry TEKS.
The Studio
How our learning environment is organized.
Our classroom runs as a studio with three working zones. Scholars move between them every day.
The Drafting Table
Direct instruction. New ideas, worked examples, and modeled reasoning. Notebooks open, eyes up, questions welcome.
Build Teams
Collaboration. Scholars work in small teams to construct, conjecture, and critique one another's reasoning.
The Proving Ground
Independent practice and assessment. Where a scholar shows what they can do on their own — drills, exit tickets, quizzes, and tests.
The Blueprint Wall
Anchor charts, worked proofs, and exemplar constructions stay posted so scholars can reference the reasoning we've built together.
Required Materials
The drafting kit every day.
- Compass
- Protractor
- Straightedge / ruler
- Patty paper (tracing paper)
- Graph paper
- School-issued Chromebook (GeoGebra & Desmos)
- Interactive notebook
- Pencils & erasers
Grading Policy
How a grade is built.
| Category | Weight | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Assessments | 60% | Unit tests, quizzes, benchmarks, and major proof/construction projects. |
| Classwork | 40% | Daily practice, notebook entries, exit tickets, build-team work, and the syllabus pop-quiz. |
Course Itinerary
Modules across the four grading periods (Beta 4-day calendar, ~144 scholar days).
| Grading Period | Dates | Focus | ~Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP1 | Aug 19 – Oct 8 | Module 1 — Reasoning with Shapes (begins); coordinate geometry & rigid motions. | 31 |
| GP2 | Oct 12 – Dec 17 | Finish Module 1; Module 2 — Justifying Mathematical Ideas & Arguments (proof, congruence). | 36 |
| GP3 | Jan 5 – Mar 4 | Finish Module 2; Module 3 — Investigating Proportionality (similarity & trigonometry). | 36 |
| GP4 | Mar 15 – May 20 | Module 4 — Circles & 3D Shapes; Module 5 — Making Informed Decisions (probability). | 40 |
A detailed day-by-day map of every module and topic lives on the Pacing Guide.
The Scholar's Code
Three expectations that hold the studio together.
- Build with precision. We measure twice, label our work, and show the reasoning behind every answer. A guess is a starting point, never a final draft.
- Defend with respect. We critique ideas, not people. Every claim deserves a "how do you know?" and every scholar deserves a fair hearing.
- Persist through the hard part. Geometry rewards the scholar who stays with a problem. Struggle is the work, not a sign you're failing at it.
Scholar Leadership Roles
Every Build Team runs itself. Roles rotate so every scholar leads.
Technology & Platforms
The tools we use and how they fit together.
| Platform | Used for |
|---|---|
| Bluebonnet Learning | Core curriculum — readings, problems, and module structure. |
| IXL | Targeted skill practice and spiral review aligned to the Geometry TEKS. |
| Khan Academy | Video re-teaching and at-home support for any topic. |
| Google Classroom | Assignment posting, turn-in, and announcements. |
| Desmos | Dynamic graphing, geometry activities, and coordinate work. |
Parent Communication
Staying connected throughout the year.
- ParentSquare is the primary channel. Announcements, reminders, and direct messages all flow through ParentSquare. Please make sure your account is active and notifications are on.
- No-cell-phone campus. Beta Academy is a phone-free learning environment. Scholars store phones during the school day; families reach scholars through the front office in an emergency.
- Syllabus pop-quiz. A short pop-quiz on this syllabus will be given in the first two weeks and counts toward the grade (Classwork category). Reading this document together as a family is the best preparation.
Academic Integrity
The reasoning has to be yours.
In Geometry, the work is the reasoning — so the reasoning must be your own. Collaboration is encouraged in Build Teams, but copying another scholar's proof, sharing answers on the Proving Ground, or using an outside tool to generate work you submit as your own is a violation of academic integrity. When in doubt, ask: "Could I explain every step of this to Dr. Ijezie-Desbois?" If not, it isn't ready to turn in. Integrity violations are addressed per Beta Academy's student handbook.
Procedures & Norms
How a class period flows.
- Entering: Pick up materials, begin the warm-up posted at the Drafting Table, and have your notebook open before the bell.
- During instruction: Eyes up, pencils ready, questions welcome. We take notes in the interactive notebook every day.
- Build Team work: Use your assigned role, stay on task, and keep your voice at a working volume.
- Materials: The Materials Manager returns every compass and protractor before the team is dismissed. We treat the kit as shared property.
- Exiting: Complete the exit ticket, return your area to order, and wait to be released by the instructor — not the bell.
Attendance & Missed Work
Falling behind is recoverable — staying behind is not.
- Check Google Classroom first. Every assignment is posted there, so an absent scholar can see exactly what was missed.
- Make-up window: Scholars have the number of days absent (plus one) to submit make-up work, in line with Beta Academy policy.
- Missed assessments are scheduled for make-up during office hours by appointment.
- Beta 4-day calendar: Most weeks run Monday–Thursday; some Fridays are scheduled make-up scholar days. Watch ParentSquare and the school calendar for those dates.
Parent Involvement
Families are part of the Build Team.
- Ask your scholar to teach you one thing they constructed or proved each week — explaining it is how the learning sticks.
- Keep ParentSquare notifications on and reach out early if something feels off; small check-ins prevent big gaps.
- Encourage Khan Academy and IXL at home when a topic needs another pass.
- Celebrate persistence, not just speed. The scholar who wrestles with a hard proof is doing exactly the right work.
Syllabus Acknowledgment
How to confirm you've read and understood this syllabus.
By the end of the second week of school, each scholar and a parent/guardian confirm they have read this syllabus together. The acknowledgment is submitted through the Assessment Center digital form (primary method). Families without device access may instead print the one-page acknowledgment, sign it by hand, and submit a clear photo of the signed page as a fallback.
⏱ The Geometry digital acknowledgment form opens in the Assessment Center for the 2026–2027 year.