Algorithmic Skill Lesson Plan Objective I from Unit Plan: Students will be able to write the equation of a line

given two points, a graph, a table of values, a geometric representation, or a story problem (verbal description) of a linear relationship. (Algorithmic Skill) Lesson Objective: Given two points on the graph of a line, the student will be able to calculate the slope of that line by applying the formula:

(Algorithmic Skill) Students critical knowledge: Previous lesson: Slope intercept form of a line, where b= yintercept, and a/m is the slope. Beginning of class: (5 min)

Homework collected Instruct students to get out a sheet of note paper and a pencil for taking notes and practicing examples

Quick Review: (5 min) Call on a student to give the equation of a linear function
o

Have all students chorus back the general equation for linear functions

Review the equation of a linear function using a mnemonics device from the previous days lesson.
o

Everybody knows, y = mx + b to the tune of YMCA - Optional

Ask students to recall from the previous lessonCall on students that usually do not answer. This is a way to engage all students to recall information. When replying back to students avoid judgmental answers.
o o

What does the b stand for? (y-intercept) What does m stand for? (the direction and steepness of the line-slope)

Direct Instruction for algorithmic-skill lesson: (28 Minutes) 1: Explanation of the Purpose of the Algorithm (2 min)

This algorithm provides us with a way of finding the slope of a line passing through two given points.

Next time well use todays exploration of the slope to extend our algorithm and find the equation of the line, and by extension, the intercept. 2: Explanation and Practice Estimating Outcomes (10 min) Last time we learned about some of the characteristics of the slope of a linear function. o Ryanne, when we say the function is increasing, what kind of number is m? (m>0) o Brendan, when we say the function is decreasing, what kids of number is m? (m<0) o Elizabeth, what kind of function do we get when m is zero? (the constant function) Practice predicting features of the line based on two ordered pairs: Display the set of ordered pairs on the board: (-2,-1) & (4,3) Demonstrate plotting the points on the Cartesian plane and drawing the line that passes through them. Together as a class on the initial example, and then on the following examples individually, practice the following predictions: Is the function increasing, decreasing, or constant? Predict: = 0, < 0, > 0? Is || a large number or a small number? Practice predicting if || > 1 or || < 1. o If = 1 then the line makes a 45 degree angle with the axes o Therefore if the line angles towards the y axis (i.e. makes les s than a 45 degree angle with the y-axis), || > 1, and vice versa. Students are asked to copy the initial example from the board, and do the same thing to the following examples in their notes: o (-2, 3) & (2, 7) o (2, 3) & (5, 3) o (-5, 6) & (4, -2) o (-4, -1) & (1, -7)
o

3: General Overview of the Process (1 min)

We will now learn how to find the slope of these lines using the slope formula. First we will identify the slope formula Then we will determine which points to use, and how to use them within the formula. Then we will plug them into the formula, simplify, and check our predictions.

4: Step-by-step explanation of the Algorithm (15 min) Students are instructed to take notes of the steps of the algorithm, and of the initial example so that they know what to do for the rest of the examples.

Step 1: Write out the formula for the slope:

o This leads us to wonder: what points should we use?

Step 2: Select two points on the line, which may or may not be given. Here we were given our points from the beginning, so we can use those. We could also use points on a table or choose points from a graph. Lets say that:
o o

Point one = (-2,-1) Point two = (4,3)

Now that we have selected our points, we need to label them so that we can plug them into the formula. So there is our Step 3.

Step 3: Label the points, the ordered pairs, as (1 , 1 )(2 , 2 ).

o

Here we will use this configuration:

Now we have everything ready to plug into the slope formula. What was it again?

Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula. Use parentheses to separate the sign of value and the sign for the operation. The only variable remaining should be m. All the variables on the right side of the equation should now be replaced with their corresponding values from the ordered pairs.

Does this answer match our prediction? If it doesnt, what went wrong? Explain that deciding which point is point one and which point is point two is not important.
o

But, notice something cool...The order of the points doesn't matter! Let's switch them and see what we get

Remind students to be careful to align 1s and 2s on top of each other otherwise you get something completely different. Now we will get some practice with this algorithm. Follow these steps to find the equations of the rest of the examples.

5: Trial Test Execution of the Algorithm (20 min) Students practice the steps of the algorithm on the remaining examples.

Show your work o Check your predictions. Were they correct? After 15 minutes, have students check their answers against those of their partners. Students may not finish all examples if they do not, they may complete the work as homework. 6: Error-pattern Analysis and Correction During the trial testing period, the teacher walks around to check students work and provide immediate feedback. The work will be turned in at the beginning of the next class meeting, along with the other homework, after which it can be looked at in more detail. The examples and homework will be returned with notes so that students may correct their mistakes If there is a common mistake (>20% of the class) it may be addressed during the third days class period. 7: Overlearning Mini-experiment and Homework (Located after Overhead sheets below, 28 pts possible) Students will use the algorithm in future class periods when finding the equations of lines.
o

Close of Class: (2 Minutes)

Homework assigned Preview the next lesson: Tell students that tomorrow they will be learning about point slope form Class dismissed

Mini-Experiment:

Given the graph above, use the steps of the algorithm we learned in class to find the slope of the line. Label your steps and show your work in detail. Does your answer match what you would expect the slope to be when you look at the graph? Explain. Observers Rubric: 7 points possible +1 for writing the slope equation +1 for identifying two points on the line +1 for labeling them appropriately as ( 1 , 1 )( 2 , 2 ). +1 for plugging the points into the formula accurately +.5 for labeling steps +.5 for simplifying the fraction +1 for explaining that the slope should be positive because the function is increasing +1 for explaining that the slope should be less than 1 because the line angles toward the x-axis

Homework Name: __________________________ Score:

1) Find slope from the equations of the following linear functions :

Equation of straight line Y=4x+2 Y=-3x-1 Y=x+8 Y=-6x Y=-3 Y=-x+2 Y=4x-1

Slope

2) Find the slope the following graphs:

m = ______________

m = ________________

3) Find slope from the given pair of points. Show work in the boxes provided below: (3, 5) and (4, 1) Slope: ____________ (6, 2) and (3, 2) Slope: ____________

(0, -3) and (7, -1) Slope: ____________

(5, 5) and (6, 4) Slope: ____________

(7, 6) and (8, 9) Slope: ____________

(-2, -4) and (-1, -3) Slope: ____________

(-3, -5) and (0, 0) Slope: ____________

(3, 5) and (3, -1) Slope: ____________

4) Draw a line on the graph with a slope of 5, and another with a slope of -5. Start both lines at (0, 0). Label two more points on each of the lines.