We have a question regarding the intent of 8.G.6.  The standard says to “Explain a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse.”  In a great CCSS resource, http://turnonccmath.net/ there is language which indicates that students would be expected to explain an informal proof of the Pythagorean theorem.

However, we have seen that a couple of states (in their unpacking of the standards docs) have provided some examples where students are verifying the Pythagorean Theorem or its converse.  This would be simply verifying that if it is  known that a triangle is a right triangle then a2 + b2 = c2.  And if a2 + b2 = c2 then the triangle is a right triangle.  That does not seem to be an explanation of a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem.  Can you provide some guidance as to what the drafters of the Common Core had in mind for 8.G.6?