Topic/Module/Lesson

Title: Let’s Talk About Relationships

Date:
Essential Questions:
What are some difference they noticed from what they just graphed vs the linear graph at
the beginning of the lesson?
What makes a parabola, and what relationships/patterns in our world make a parabola?

Big Idea:
Algebra, in terms of linear and parabolic relationships, is a useful tool that students can use
to solve problems and represent patterns/relationships in the real world

Objectives:
SWBAT understand what makes a parabola and to be able to describe the overall shape and
pattern of parabola
SWBAT recognize linear and parabolic relationships in real-world situations

Standards: CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4, CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSA.CED. A.1

Warm Up: Students will be given a graph of a negative linear relationship. Students will need
to remember what they know about linear relationships to describe the relationship that
they see using as much “mathematical talk” as they can. Students work on their own for 2
minutes, and then they will be asked to turn to a partner and share their answers for another
3 minutes. They will then be asked to try to come up with a scenario with their partner that
this linear graph could describe. Finally, each group will share their findings and then be
asked for any similarities and differences between the scenarios and answers given from
each group.
Lesson Details: First, we will watch a video of David Beckham kicking soccer balls into a
trashcan. Students will be given an opportunity to discuss who feels like they could do
something like this, and then will be given the opportunity to try. Students will get in groups
of 2-3 and practice either throwing or kicking a ball into a trashcan or “human made” hoop.
They will crumple a piece of paper up and use this as their ball. They will be told that the only
thing they need to do is to watch the path that their ball takes getting to the trashcan and to
try and graph this path on graph paper that will be provided. They will be provided with
rulers and asked to label where their starting point, ending point, and any maximum height
they observed. (Teacher will walk around and observe behavior and progress. Will redirect as
needed). Timer will be set for 15 minutes.
Each group will come to the board and draw their graph for the rest of the class when they
feel confident in their paper ball graph, and will be asked to be ready to explain their graph to
everyone. Once everyone is done with the activity and have their graphs on the board, we
will go around to each group and have them explain their strategy and how they obtained the
graph that they drew. I will then ask students to look at each graph and describe and
similarities and differences that they see. These similarities and differences will be typed on
the slide that is prepared. After everyone has time to share, I will show them a slide of a
negative parabola that has the zeros and vertex labeled. Students will then be told that these
endpoints and maximum heights that they found are what mathematicians call zeros and
vertices. Lastly, Students will be asked to describe what they see and what differences they
noticed between the graph of the parabola vs. the graph of the linear relationship in their
warm up. Students will finally be asked what they think makes up a parabola and what other
patterns in our lives could be modeled using the same graph.

Group Work/Practice Activity:

Assessment (Formative):
Teacher will monitor student work and progress during paper ball task. Looking for students
to have some type of parabolic shape on their graph, and made sure they correctly labeled
their beginning, ending and max height points. Students will also display graphs on the
whiteboard.

Teacher will ask what are some differences they noticed from what they just graphed vs. the
linear graph in their warm up. Students should answer that the linear was always decreasing,
whereas the parabola increased and then decreased, or that the linear graph has 1 zero but
the parabola had 2.

Teacher will ask students what makes a parabola to see if they understood the overall
relationship and pattern of a parabola. Students should answer that it has a max height, two
zeros, is U shapes, etc.

Plan for Differentiated Instruction/Modification:

Pull small groups based on formative assessment
Allow students to use assistive technology, such as Geogebra or other graphing sites
Homework
None
Materials
Powerpoint, pencils, paper, markers, video