Slope

Baylee Hibshman, Shawn McMahon, Jennifer Dean

Overview of Lesson
Students will learn how to calculate slope and y-intercept given a graph and an equation
at the most basic level. Given worksheets the students will work on finding slope (m)
and finding the y-intercept (b) by using equations and graphs. Given their
knowledge,they perform the last problem of each sheet without help from their personal
mentors as an assessment. With the problems that the students complete they will be
earning points, each problem is worth 1 point, the assessment problem is worth 5
points, and the challenge problem is worth 1 point alone. At the end of their time
together students will receive rewards based on the number of points they have
acquired.
Description of Learners
The intended audience of this lesson is a class of fifteen to twenty at risk students in the
seventh grade.The students may be coming from a negative home environment and
may not have the support of family members. Each student will be finding their own
mode of transportation to campus and will meet in a classroom(TBA). The classroom
will have a couple round tables, some white boards, and internet access, bare minimum
things so as not to create a distraction for the students. Each student will also have a
buddy, a college mentor who will be able to provide additional insight for the student.
One goal of this lesson plan is for the students to fully be able to demonstrate a
knowledge of slope and y-intercepts given either a graph or an equation. Another goal is
to give students a positive view of learning math.
Learning Objectives
The students will be able to calculate slope and y intercept given a graph.
The students will be able to calculate slope and y intercept given an equation.
Standards
7.AF.4: Define slope as vertical change for each unit of horizontal change and
recognize that a constant rate of change or constant slope
describes a linear function. Identify and describe situations with constant or varying
rates of change.
7.AF.5: Graph a line given its slope and a point on the line. Find the slope of a line given
its graph.
Required Material
Whiteboard
A computer (Hicks Undergraduate Library)
The worksheet (provided)
Writing utensil
Procedures
1. The teacher writes the word Slope on the chalk/whiteboard.
2. The teacher asks the students if they had heard of slope or rate of change
before.

3. Write the definition of the word slope below the word slope; a surface of which one
end or side is at a higher level than another; a rising or falling surface.
4. Write on the board Y=mx+b and note that m=slope and b=y-intercept.
5. Note that y-intercept is the point that raises the graph by the value of the y-intercept.
Example: Y=x+3, this means that the graph of y=x is moved up three units.
6. Note that m=slope and that is rise over run on the graph. Example: If the
equation is y=3x+1 that means that the m in this case is 3. 3/1=3 so the rise on
the graph is up 3 units then over to the right 1 unit.
7. With the general knowledge given from the past procedures, introduce the activity.
8. Students and their mentors go to a computer located in the Hicks Undergraduate
Library.
9. First the mentor logs onto a slope-graphing site, such as;
http://www.mathportal.org/calculators/analytic-geometry/graphing-linescalculator.php https://www.desmos.com/calculator and follow along the equations
given to the students in the worksheet to give them a visual as to what the graph
looks like acording to equation.
10. Note: Mentors should revert back to y=x before doing every equation to show the
change in slope from the basic line.
11. Each mentor should be told to be of most use, without actually doing the worksheet
for the students. Remind them that m=slope so in the equation y=mx+b the number
in place of m is the slope. Remind them that the number in place of b is y-intercept.
12. After the equation worksheet, the teacher teaches how to read a graph. By first
finding the slope in a graph. (by use of rise over run on the graph from one point on
a whole number unit and move up and over till you get to another integer.)
13. Then, teach y-intercept and how to read on the graph. The original y=x crosses the
y-axis at (0,0). By counting how many units it moves up or down, you can figure out
the y-intercept. (y-intercept = b)

14.
Alternative: Ask the students to try to get the graph into an equation after they find
m and y-intercept. The equation should look like: Y=mx+b.
15.
Each problem labeled 1-4 in the first worksheet is worth one point each. Every
problem 5 is worth 5 points due to the students doing it by themselves. (Must get this
problem right to achieve 5 points. They can retry the problem until they get it right.) The
challenge problem is worth 1 point alone. Maximum for first worksheet: 19
16.
The second worksheets first problem is worth 1 point. The last problem (the one
they work on by themselves) is worth five points. Maximum on second worksheet: 6.
Maximum overall: 25.
17.
The students are then given the option to spend their points
rewards:
Points

Prize

King Size Candy Bar of Choice

14

Deck of Cards

19

Headphones

24

Itunes gift card $5

25

Purdue T-Shirt and choice of one below.

Assessment
1. After going through the first four problems of each section on the slope
worksheet with their mentor, the students will answer the fifth problem
themselves. They should be able to find the slope and y-intercept of the
equation.
2. On the second problem on the second page of the worksheet, students should
be able to find the slope and y-intercept given the graph.
References and Reference Materials
1. Knezek, G., Christensen, R., Tyler-Wood, T., & Periathiruvadi, S. (2013). Impact
of
Environmental Power Monitoring Activities on Middle School Student
Perceptions of STEM. Science Education International, 24(1), 98-123.
This article discusses the importance of STEM education in middle at the
middle school level. Middle school students need to have a foundation
and a motivation for learning STEM before they reach higher levels. The
journal discussed using activities and projects. We used this by having the
mentors do a slope activity with the students on the computer.

2.

Martin, N. (2012) Teaching STEM to millennial students.Tech Directions,

71(7).Retrieved from
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfvie

wer?sid=173da8e1-8252-499f-85ea3cd2543f46fe%40sessionmgr113&vid=18&hid=109
This article addresses different ways to teach STEM topics to millennial
students, students who have grown up connected 24-7 to technology.
The article provides ten different teaching strategies used by twenty first
century teachers to teach technologically advanced students. One of the
strategies discussed in the article is integrating technology into teaching,
we decided that each student mentor pair would go to the Hicks
Undergraduate Library and use an interactive slope calculator to have a
good visual of what different slopes actually look like.

Slope

2.

3.

4.

1. Y=x+1
m=
y-intercept=
Y=(1/2)x-3
m=
y-intercept=
Y=(-4)x+7
m=
y-intercept=
Y=(5/3)x-1
m=
y-intercept=
Y=(3/2)x+4

5.
m=
y-intercept=

points: 1

points: 1

points: 1

points: 1

*Students must do this alone*

points: 5

Get the equation into the form of y=mx+b.

1. Y-3=(-4)x
m=
y-intercept=
2.
Y+1=(-3/2)x
m=
y-intercept=
3.
Y-1=(22/11)x+1
m=
y-intercept=
4.
Y+3=(4/5)x+3

points: 1

points: 1

points: 1

points: 1

m=
y-intercept=
Y+3x=4

5.
m=
y-intercept=

*Students must do this alone*

points: 5

Challenge Problem!
2y+4=x

Hint: x = (1x/1)

points: 1