1.12 Creating an Activity Using Applets from GeoGebra Resources

GeoGebra allows you to create a new Activity using applets that have already been created by other GeoGebra users. This can save time because you do not have to build every construction from the beginning.

You can search for an existing applet, add it to your own Activity, and then surround it with your own directions, questions, learning objectives, and application tasks. GeoGebra’s Activity editor supports applets along with text, images, videos, open-ended questions, multiple-choice questions, web pages, and PDF files.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Search for applets related to a mathematical topic

• Evaluate an applet before using it

• Create a new GeoGebra Activity

• Add an applet from GeoGebra Resources

• Adjust the applet’s title and display settings

• Edit or replace the applet when necessary

• Add directions and questions

• Organize the Activity in a logical order

• Preview, test, save, and locate the finished Activity

• Preserve the original creator’s attribution

Step 1: Understand the Goal

In this section, you are not copying an entire Activity.

Instead, you are:

1. Creating a new Activity.

2. Selecting an existing applet from GeoGebra Resources.

3. Adding your own instructional content around the applet.

The applet provides the interactive mathematical construction. Your Activity provides the lesson structure.

For example, you might find an applet that graphs:

f(x) = a(x - h)^2 + k

You could then create your own Activity containing:

• A learning objective

• Directions for using the sliders

• Prediction questions

• Observation questions

• An application task

• A final reflection

This gives you control over the instructional sequence without requiring you to build the complete applet yourself.

Step 2: Plan the Activity

Before searching for an applet, decide what students should learn.

Identify:

• The mathematical topic

• The learning objective

• What students should manipulate

• What students should observe

• What questions students should answer

• What students should demonstrate at the end

For example:

Topic: Quadratic transformations

Learning Objective: I can explain how a, h, and k affect the graph of f(x) = a(x - h)^2 + k.

Student Task: Students will move sliders, observe changes to the graph, answer questions, and create a graph that meets given conditions.

A clear plan will help you select an applet that supports your lesson rather than choosing one simply because it looks interesting.

Step 3: Search GeoGebra Resources

Before creating the Activity, you may search GeoGebra Resources to see what is available.

1. Sign in to GeoGebra.

2. Open the Resources section.

3. Enter a specific mathematical topic in the search bar.

4. Review several search results.

5. Open promising Resources and test their applets.

GeoGebra’s Resources page allows you to search both public Resources and your own materials. Search results can also be narrowed using Resource-type filters.

Possible search terms include:

Quadratic transformations

Vertex form sliders

Triangle centers

Systems of equations

Derivative graph matching

Unit circle

Use specific search terms. A search for quadratic vertex form sliders will usually be more useful than a search for algebra.

Step 4: Evaluate the Applet

Open and interact with each applet before deciding to use it.

Test:

• Sliders

• Movable points

• Buttons

• Input fields

• Graphs

• Construction tools

• Reset controls

• Animation controls

Ask yourself:

• Does the applet match my learning objective?

• Is the mathematics accurate?

• Are the labels understandable?

• Can students easily determine what to move?

• Are unnecessary objects or tools visible?

• Does the applet work correctly?

• Is the starting view appropriate?

• Will students be able to use it on their devices?

Do not choose an applet based only on its title or preview image.

Step 5: Record Information About the Applet

Before leaving the applet, record:

• The applet title

• The creator’s name

• The mathematical topic

• Any important labels or variables

• What you plan to have students do with it

For example:

Applet title: Quadratic Transformations

Creator: Original GeoGebra author

Variables: a, h, and k

Student action: Move one slider at a time

Recording the exact title can make the applet easier to find from inside the Activity editor.

Step 6: Create a New Activity

After choosing an applet:

1. Open your GeoGebra profile.

2. Select CREATE.

3. Select Activity.

4. Wait for the Activity editor to open.

5. Enter a descriptive Activity title.

GeoGebra’s current workflow begins with the CREATE button on the profile page. Selecting Activity opens the Activity editor, where instructional elements and interactive materials can be added.

Use a title such as:

Algebra 2 - Quadratic Transformations Investigation

Geometry - Exploring Triangle Centers

AP Calculus - Matching Functions and Derivatives

A useful naming structure is:

Course - Unit - Topic - Activity Type

Step 7: Add an Introduction and Learning Objective

Begin with a Text element.

1. Select Add Element.

2. Select Text.

3. Enter a brief introduction.

4. Add the learning objective.

5. Select Done.

For example:

In this Activity, you will use an interactive graph to investigate how the parameters in vertex form affect a parabola.

Learning Objective: I can explain how changing a, h, and k transforms the graph of f(x) = a(x - h)^2 + k.

The introduction should explain the purpose of the Activity without giving students every answer.

Step 8: Add Student Directions

Add another Text element for directions.

Directions should explain:

• What students should move

• What values they should test

• What they should observe

• What they should record

• The order in which they should work

• When they should reset the applet

For example:

Directions

1. Begin with a = 1, h = 0, and k = 0.

2. Move one slider at a time.

3. Observe how the graph changes.

4. Return each slider to its starting value before testing another parameter.

5. Answer each question before continuing.

6. Use the reset button when you need to return to the original graph.

Keep the directions close to the applet they describe.

Step 9: Add a GeoGebra Applet Element

To insert the applet:

1. Select Add Element.

2. Select GeoGebra Applet.

3. Wait for the applet-selection window to open.

The Activity editor allows you to search for existing public applets, select one of your own applets, upload a .ggb file, or create a new applet.

For this section, you will use the search option to locate an existing applet.

Step 10: Search for the Existing Applet

Use the search field inside the applet-selection window.

1. Enter the applet’s exact title when possible.

2. Search using the creator’s name when needed.

3. Use the mathematical topic as a backup search.

4. Review the available results.

5. Select the applet you previously tested.

Possible searches include:

Quadratic transformations

Vertex form a h k

Parabola sliders

Triangle centers construction

The search option can locate public applets created by other users. It may also display applets you have saved to your own account.

Step 11: Confirm That You Selected the Correct Applet

Before inserting the applet, confirm:

• The title matches the applet you reviewed.

• The creator’s name matches.

• The applet contains the expected objects.

• The correct variables or controls are present.

• The construction behaves as expected.

Applet titles may be similar, so test the selected applet when the editor provides a preview.

When you have selected the correct applet, choose Done or the available confirmation option.

Step 12: Give the Applet a Clear Title

After inserting the applet, add a student-friendly title.

For example:

Explore Quadratic Transformations

Move the Triangle Centers

Compare the Function and Its Derivative

The applet title should describe what students will do rather than repeat the Activity title.

The Activity editor allows you to add a title to the applet element and revise its advanced settings before closing the element.

Step 13: Test the Applet Inside the Activity

Test the applet again after inserting it.

Confirm that:

• It loads inside the Activity.

• All sliders move.

• Draggable points work.

• Buttons respond correctly.

• Labels are readable.

• Important objects remain visible.

• The graph does not move outside the viewing window.

• The reset button works when one is available.

An applet may behave differently when placed inside an Activity because its size and available controls may change.

Step 14: Adjust the Applet Display Settings

Open the applet’s advanced settings.

Depending on the applet, you may be able to change:

• Width

• Height

• Scale

• Aspect ratio

• Toolbar visibility

• Menu visibility

• Input-field visibility

• Style-bar visibility

• Zooming and panning

• Label dragging

• Keyboard editing

• Reset-button visibility

GeoGebra’s applet settings can control the applet’s dimensions and which menus, tools, editing options, and navigation controls students can access.

For a guided exploration, consider:

• Hiding the toolbar

• Hiding the input field

• Hiding unnecessary menus

• Showing the reset button

• Preventing unnecessary zooming

• Allowing students to move only the required objects

Students should see the controls they need without being distracted by unrelated features.

Step 15: Decide Whether the Applet Needs Editing

You may use the applet exactly as it was created, or you may make small changes.

Possible changes include:

• Adjusting the starting values

• Repositioning sliders

• Changing the viewing window

• Hiding unnecessary labels

• Showing or hiding the grid

• Showing or hiding the axes

• Changing object formatting

• Correcting an unclear title

To edit the construction:

1. Select the applet element.

2. Select Edit.

3. Select Edit Applet.

4. Make the changes.

5. Test the applet.

6. Select Done.

GeoGebra also allows an inserted applet to be replaced with another applet later.

Do not make major changes unless you understand how the construction works. Objects inside an applet may depend on one another.

Step 16: Add a Prediction Question

Add a question before students begin interacting with the applet.

You may use an Open Question or Multiple Choice element.

For example:

Before moving the sliders, predict what will happen when k changes from 0 to 4.

Or:

What do you predict will be the vertex when h = 3 and k = -2?

Possible answers:

A. (-3, -2)
B. (3, -2)
C. (-2, 3)
D. (3, 2)

Correct answer: B. (3, -2)

Prediction questions encourage students to think before using the applet to test their ideas.

Step 17: Add Observation Questions

Place questions after the applet.

Use open-ended questions when students should explain or describe a pattern.

For example:

Keep h = 0 and k = 0. Explain what happens to the graph when a changes from positive to negative.

What happens to the graph when a > 1?

What happens to the graph when 0 < a < 1?

Explain how changing h affects the location of the vertex.

Use multiple-choice questions when students should identify a specific relationship.

For example:

What happens when k increases?

A. The graph moves left.
B. The graph moves right.
C. The graph moves up.
D. The graph becomes narrower.

Correct answer: C. The graph moves up.

Make sure every question refers to objects and controls that actually appear in the selected applet.

Step 18: Add an Application Task

Add a task that requires students to use what they discovered.

For example:

Challenge

Use the applet to create a parabola that:

• Opens downward

• Has a vertex at (4, -3)

• Is narrower than y = x^2

Record the values of a, h, and k that you used. Explain how each value affected the graph.

A possible solution would use:

a < -1

h = 4

k = -3

The exact value of a may vary as long as it is less than -1.

Step 19: Add a Final Reflection

End the Activity with an Open Question.

For example:

Explain the role of a, h, and k in the function f(x) = a(x - h)^2 + k.

Or:

How did the applet help you understand the mathematical concept?

The reflection should return to the Activity’s learning objective.

Step 20: Arrange the Activity Elements

Place the elements in the order students should complete them.

A logical sequence is:

1. Title

2. Introduction

3. Learning objective

4. Directions

5. Prediction question

6. Applet

7. Observation questions

8. Application task

9. Final reflection

Use the movement controls or drag handles to reorder elements.

Avoid placing directions far below the applet they describe.

Step 21: Review the Original Attribution

The applet was created by another GeoGebra user.

When using it:

• Do not claim that you created the original applet.

• Keep the attribution information provided by GeoGebra.

• Do not remove the original creator’s name.

• Review the applet’s details when you need information about its creator.

• Verify the mathematical accuracy before assigning it.

• Clearly distinguish your instructional content from the original construction when appropriate.

GeoGebra community Resources are made available under Creative Commons licensing and may be used or adapted to create derivative Activities and Books.

Step 22: Save the Activity

After adding the applet and instructional elements:

1. Select Save.

2. Confirm the Activity title.

3. Wait for the save process to finish.

4. Do not close the browser while the Activity is saving.

When you edit the applet, use the complete sequence:

1. Edit the applet.

2. Select Done.

3. Return to the Activity editor.

4. Select Save.

Selecting Done closes the applet element, but you must still save the complete Activity.

Step 23: Preview the Activity

Open the Activity outside the editor.

Complete it as though you were a student.

Confirm that:

• The introduction is clear.

• The learning objective matches the tasks.

• The directions appear before the applet.

• The correct applet was inserted.

• All applet controls work.

• Questions match the applet.

• Multiple-choice answers are accurate.

• The Activity has a logical sequence.

• The final task measures the learning objective.

Test the Activity in a smaller browser window when students may use Chromebooks, tablets, or smaller screens.

Step 24: Correct Problems Found During Testing

When you find a problem:

1. Return to the Activity editor.

2. Locate the affected element.

3. Make the correction.

4. Select Done.

5. Save the Activity.

6. Reopen the student view.

7. Test the revision.

Repeat this process until the Activity works correctly.

Step 25: Locate and Organize the Activity

To locate the saved Activity:

1. Open your GeoGebra profile.

2. Open the MINE section.

3. Sort by Last modified.

4. Locate the Activity.

5. Open it and confirm that your changes appear.

Your own Resources can be accessed through your profile or through the MINE section of GeoGebra Resources.

Move the Activity into an appropriate Resource folder.

For example:

2026-2027

    Algebra 2

        Unit 4: Quadratic Functions

            Quadratic Transformations Investigation

Common Problems and Solutions

The Applet Does Not Appear in the Search Results

Try:

• Searching for the exact applet title

• Searching for the creator’s name

• Using fewer search words

• Using a more specific mathematical term

• Returning to the public Resource and confirming its title

• Saving the applet to your account before searching again

You Selected the Wrong Applet

1. Open the applet element’s editing options.

2. Select Replace Applet.

3. Search for the correct applet.

4. Select it.

5. Test it.

6. Select Done.

7. Save the Activity.

The Applet Is Too Small

Open the applet’s advanced settings and increase its width or height.

Confirm that:

• Important objects remain visible.

• Sliders do not overlap.

• Directions do not cover the applet.

• The aspect ratio remains appropriate.

Students Can Access Too Many Tools

Consider:

• Hiding the toolbar

• Hiding the input field

• Hiding the menu

• Disabling unnecessary editing

• Preventing unnecessary zooming

• Showing only the controls required for the task

Students Cannot Complete the Directions

Check that:

• The directions use the same variable names as the applet.

• The required sliders or points exist.

• Students can reach the required values.

• Necessary tools are visible.

• The reset button works.

• Important labels are readable.

The Questions Do Not Match the Applet

Review:

• Object names

• Variable names

• Slider ranges

• Starting values

• Graph labels

• Correct answers

• Instructions for moving objects

Revise the question or replace the applet.

Changes to the Applet Were Not Saved

Use the complete save sequence:

1. Select Edit Applet.

2. Make the change.

3. Select Done.

4. Return to the Activity editor.

5. Select Save.

6. Reopen the Activity and verify the change.

Activity Creation Practice

Complete the following steps:

1. Sign in to GeoGebra.

2. Choose a mathematical topic.

3. Write a learning objective.

4. Search GeoGebra Resources for a related applet.

5. Test at least two possible applets.

6. Select the applet that best supports the objective.

7. Record its title and creator.

8. Open your profile.

9. Select CREATE.

10. Create a new Activity.

11. Give the Activity a descriptive title.

12. Add an introduction.

13. Add the learning objective.

14. Add student directions.

15. Add a GeoGebra Applet element.

16. Search for and select the applet.

17. Test the applet inside the Activity.

18. Adjust its advanced settings.

19. Add a prediction question.

20. Add at least two observation questions.

21. Add an application task.

22. Add a final reflection.

23. Arrange the elements in a logical order.

24. Save the Activity.

25. Preview it as a student.

26. Correct any problems.

27. Locate it under MINE.

28. Move it into an appropriate folder.