TITLE: Writing the Equation of a Line
TASK DEVELOPER: Kimberly Johnson-Green
GRADE AND CONTENT AREA: Grade 9-12 Mathematics
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE: This is the 2nd.lesson in the sequence
TARGET TEACHING DATE: 4/20
SCHOOL: Harbor City High School - East
STANDARDS:

Maryland Core Learning Goals, Expectations, and Indicators

Goal 1 Functions and Algebra: The student will demonstrate the ability to investigate, interpret, and communicate solutions to mathematical and real-world problems using patterns, functions, and algebra.

Expectation 1.2: The student will model and interpret real-world situations using the language of mathematics and appropriate technology.

Indicator 1.2.1: The student will determine the equation for a line, solve linear equations, and/or describe the solutions using numbers, symbols, and/or graphs.

Assessment Limits:
  1. Functions are to have no more than two variables with rational coefficients.
  2. Linear equations will be given in the form: Ax + By = C, Ax + By + C = 0, or y = mx + b.
  3. Vertical lines are included.
  4. The majority of these items should be in real-world context.

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PERFORMANCES:

Daily objective: The students will use a point and a slope to find a specific location. Using a point (landmark) and a slope, the students will give directions to get from one location to another.

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SETTING:

Real World Setting: Job Searching

You are a head hunter. You are faced with finding employment for your clients. You must give your clients directions to different job locations. Once you have completed your job search and set up interviews for your clients, you must write a letter giving them directions to the interview site. You must include a landmark with a coordinate point and then give them a slope to follow to get to the next point, job location. You must use north, south, east, and west in your explanation.

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INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Teaching for Understanding in Mathematics

Activity 1:

  • Step 1: The students will complete the warm up.

  • Step 2: The teacher and the students will go over the warm-up activity.

  • Step 3: The teacher and the students will discuss the pervious night homework.

  • Step 4: The teacher will clear up any misunderstanding that the students may have form the previous assignment.

Materials: calculators

Activity 2: Work together

  • Step 1: The students and the teacher will review the previous lesson.

  • Step 2: The teacher will introduce the current lesson to the students. The students and the teacher will discuss given directions to get to Harbor City High School from North Avenue and Greenmount Avenue. The teacher will stress the importance of using the appropriate terminology.

  • Step 3: The teacher will give the students directions to get to the Board of Education from Harbor City High School. The students will be given a point and a slope. The teacher will show the students how to use the point and the slope to get from the school to the Board of Education. The teacher will graph the information on the overhead. (Here the teacher will work the problem to show the students what they are being asked to do.)

  • Step 4: The teacher will ask the students to give directions to get from their house to Harbor City High School. This time the students will be given a point and a slope and will be asked to use that information in their directions. The teacher will graph their responses on the over head. (The students will practice here before they will be asked to complete the task for the day.)

Technology: overhead projector
Materials: graph paper, colored pencils, rulers

Activity 3: The teacher presents the task for the day and asks the students to work on independently.

  • Step 1: See Setting for task.

Materials: graph paper, colored pencils, rulers

Homework: Choose a location (landmark) and give someone directions to your house from that point. In your directions use words like north, south, east, and west.

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SCORING:
Rubric for Completing a Task
LEVELS
DESCRIPTION OF PERFORMANCE
DISTINGUISHED
  • The student completes all important components of the task and communicates ideas clearly.

  • The student demonstrates in-depth understanding of the relevant concepts and/or process.

  • Where appropriate, the student offers insightful interpretations or extensions (generalizations, applications, and analogies).
PROFICIENT
  • The student completes most important components of the task and communicates clearly.

  • The student demonstrates understanding of major concepts even though she/he overlooks or misunderstands some less important ideas or details.
APPRENTICE
  • The student completes some important components of the task and communicates those clearly.

  • The student demonstrates that there are gaps in his/her conceptual understanding.
NOVICE
  • The student shows minimal understanding.

  • The student is unable to generate strategy; answers may display only recall effect, lack clear communication and/or be totally incorrect or irrelevant.

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RESULTS:

Organize: I developed a chart to show the following data for the learning standard(s) I assessed:

Findings:

  • I had 2 students to score at or above the proficient level on my scoring tool.

  • I had 6 students to score below the proficient level on my scoring tool;

  • 33% of the students scored at or above the proficient level on my scoring tool.

Analyze: I examined the data in the chart to look for trends, contributing factors, and implications of student performance for the learning standard.

  • Trends: The trend that I saw was that the students moved in the wrong direction when they started to graph the initial point. The students moved up and down instead of moving left or right first.

  • Contributing factors: The students appear not to have a strong knowledge of geography. They seem to lack a sense of simple directions such as north, south, east, and west.

Reflect: I noticed that the students do not know directions such as north, south, east, and west. I was surprised that the students did not know how to give directions. I was also surprised that the students had such difficulty graphing points.