LESSON PURPOSE:

This lesson plan introduces linear equations by having a group of students model real, quickly-gathered class data. The goal is to help motivate student interest in data collection, graphing, linear equations, and slope, while minimizing the time normally needed to collect data in other contexts.

This is a .zip file including an editable PowerPoint of the lesson, a PDF of the slides that can be distributed or uploaded, a PDF of the teacher notes that the instructor can refer to as needed, and a PDF of the lesson outline.

TARGET LEVEL OF MATH CLASS:

Pre-Algebra to College Algebra, high school to adult education. Previous knowledge in integers and fractions is required. A calculator is not required.

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS:

• Students who already know how to calculate basic statistics or who know how to graph on the coordinate plane can go more quickly through the first parts, or skip them.
• Teachers can spend more time on the first parts and introduce mean, median, mode, range, graphing, and coordinates, if necessary. They would have longer discussions about those activities.
• Classes with more time or students with more interest could consider doing the final independent project on collecting and modeling their own data.

OPTIONS FOR HOW TO USE THIS FILE:

• Upload slides to a live digital collaboration space where instructor and student can write on it at the same time.
• Print the associated activities as student handouts, and students can write or show their work directly on the page.
• Integrate the lesson into your own plans, since the PowerPoint file is customizable.