AudreaSanchez

CrystalAvila
AlgebraRules!

111.28.Grade8
ContentObjectives(TEKS)
8.1.C.,8.8.C.,8.9
b)

Knowledgeandskills
(1)Mathematicalprocessstandards.Thestudentusesmathematicalprocessestoacquire
anddemonstratemathematicalunderstanding.Thestudentisexpectedto:
(C)selecttools,includingrealobjects,manipulatives,paperandpencil,and
technologyasappropriate,andtechniques,includingmentalmath,estimation,
andnumbersenseasappropriate,tosolveproblems
(8)Expressions,equations,andrelationships.Thestudentappliesmathematicalprocess
standardstouseonevariableequationsorinequalitiesinproblemsituations.The
studentisexpectedto:
(C)modelandsolveonevariableequationswithvariablesonbothsidesoftheequal
signthatrepresentmathematicalandrealworldproblemsusingrationalnumber
coefficientsandconstants
(9)Expressions,equations,andrelationships.Thestudentappliesmathematicalprocess
standardstousemultiplerepresentationstodevelopfoundationalconceptsof
simultaneouslinearequations.Thestudentisexpectedtoidentifyandverifythevaluesof
x
and
y
thatsimultaneouslysatisfytwolinearequationsintheform
y=mx+b
fromthe
intersectionsofthegraphedequations.

Goals/Objectives
Studentswillbeabletoidentifyandsolveonevariableequationsthroughwordproblemsand
realworldfinancialsituations.Theywillalsobelookingatavarietyofrepresentationsof
algebraicfunctions,mainlyconcentratingontheslope,andtheconnectionbetweenthedifferent
mediums.Theywillbeusingtechnology,viainternet,asanewsourceofpracticetosolidify
theirconceptualunderstandingofequations.

Materials

Handouts/Worksheets
Paper/Pencil
Computer/Internet

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CrystalAvila
Procedures

Activity1:Distributetheslopeworksheettoeverystudent.Havestudentsworkindividuallyon
thefirstproblem,thenwhencompleted,havethemsharewithapartner.Onceallstudentshave
completedtheproblem,takeafewexamplestoseewhatprocesseswereusedandlookfor
similaritiesordifferencesineach.Turntothesecondpageandhavestudentspairuptoworkon
identifyingandlabelinglinearfunctions.Againiftherearedifferentperspectivesormethods,
addresstheminacollaborativediscussiontoensureallstudentsunderstandtheanswer.Now,
alongsidewiththat,discussthepossiblerelationshipsbetweenthe3differenttypesof
representationstakenonbywhatcouldbealinearequation.Whichiseasiertodecipher?Which
isharder?Lastly,canyoucreatethetwootherrepresentationswhenyouregivenanyoneto
beginwith?

Activity2:Accessonlinegamewiththisweblink:
http://www.mathplayground.com/AlgebraEquations.html
Havestudentstaketurnsgoingupinpairstothefrontoftheclasstoansweraquestion(maxof
5.)Onestudentwillmodeltheinitialequationusingthebalanceapplicationandtheotherwill
solvetobalancetheequationandfindthesolution.

Activity3:
DistributethePrintingBooksactivitysheettoeachstudent.Asaclass,readthescenarioand
threeoptions.Thethreeoptionsare:
1. Localprintingcompany:Thealgebratextbookcanbeprintedbyalocalprinterforacost
of$9.50perbookwithaninitialcostof$5,000fortypesetting.
2. Localcopycenter:Thealgebrabookcanbeduplicatedatalocalcopyingcenterfor$0.05
perpageplus$2.00perbookforbinding.
3. Theschooldistrict:Theschooldistrictsowncopyingcentercanreproducethetextbook
atacostof$0.035perpageplusaninitialcostof$3,000fortypesetting.
Beforestudentsbegintoworkthrougheachofthethreeoptions,askthemtocircletheonethey
predictwillbethebestsolutiontotheproblem.Putstudentsinpairstodiscusstheirpredictions.
Onthechalkboard,recordthenamesofthestudentsundertheoptionnumbertheyhaveselected
(1,2,or3).Leavethisinformationonthechalkboardtodiscusstowardtheendofthelesson.

Activity4:
Beginbyaskingstudentswhohaveacellphone.Askwhattypeofplantheyhave,andhowthey
choseit.Discussdifferentoptionsprovidedbyplans,rateschargedfortextmessaging,andrates
forvoiceminutes.Somestudentsmayuseprepaidplans,andothersmayuseamonthlycontract.
Youmaywanttoshowafewexamplesofcurrentplansofferedbycellphonecompanies.

AudreaSanchez
CrystalAvila
Tellstudentsthattheywillbelookingattwoprepaidplansofferedbytwodifferentcellphone
companies.Distributethe
TalkorText?
activitysheettoeachstudent.
Dependingonstudents'abilitylevelsandfamiliaritywiththeconcepts,youmaywanttoput
studentsingroupsof2to4.Explaintostudentsthattheirparentshavedecidedtoputthemtheir
firstcellphone,andtheparentshaveagreedtoprepay$25eachmonthtobeusedforvoice
minutesandtextmessaging.Allowstudentstimetolookatthechartanddiscusswhichcell
phoneplanwouldbebestunderwhichcircumstancesbeforereadingthroughthequestionsonthe
activitysheet.
GivegroupstimetocompleteQuestions1to5.Walkaroundtheroomandhelpstudentsas
needed.Whentheyarefinished,bringthewholeclasstogethertodiscusstheanswers(foundon
the

TalkorText?
answerkey).Studentsmayhavefound
x
or
y
valuesthatarefractionsor
2
decimals,suchassending166
/
textmessagesforPlanAinQuestion1.Askthemwhatthis
3
2
means.Isitpossibletosend166
/
textmessages?Studentsshouldrealizethatyoucannotsend
3
2
/
ofatextmessage,sotheanswertoQuestion1is166textmessages.Ensurethateveryonehas
3
thecorrectequationandunderstandswhattheequationsmeaninthecontextoftheproblem
situation.
Allowgroupstocompletetheremainderoftheactivitysheet.Directstudentstographtheir
equationsusingwhichevermethodtheychoose(slopeand
y
intercept,
x
/
y
table,or
x
and
y
intercepts).Youmayalsowanttodiscussthemeaningofnegative
x
and
y
values.Isitpossible
tosendanegativenumberoftextmessagesortalkonthephonefornegativeminutes?Students
shouldrealizethatonlypositivevaluesmakesenseinthisproblem,andthereforetheyshouldbe
graphinginquadrantIonly.
Whenstudentshavefinishedtheactivitysheet,leadawholeclassdiscussiononwhattheyhave
foundoutaboutthephoneplansbyansweringthequestions.Didtheychoosetheplanthey
thoughttheywouldbeforeworkingthroughtheactivity?Whichplandidtheychooseandwhy?
Whichplanwasmostpopularintheclass?Youcanalsocreatelistsofprosandconsofeach
planontheboard.Emphasizetostudentsthatthereisnorightanswertothisproblem.Thebest
choiceforanindividualisbasedonthatperson'sphonehabits.However,investigatingplans
mathematicallycanleadanypersontomakeabetter,moreinformeddecision.

Assessment

Authentic:Havestudentsorallyanswerquestionsaboutideasinthelesson.Whenreferringto
slopes,havestudentsphysicallyrepresentpositiveornegativeslopesusingarmsorhands.
(ExitPass)Solvewordproblemthensketchagraphforthesolution.

Closure
Reemphasizethecorrelationbetweenvariablesandvaluesaswellastherelationshipamong
representationsoffunctions.Reiteratewaysoffindingsolutionsandtheirmeanings.