Jeremy Gibbs

Methods

Oct. 7

Discover a Relationship

9th grade Algebra I

  1. Experimenting
    1. Have a student stand up, take one step every five seconds, let this go on for about twenty seconds. (20 seconds = 4 steps, 12 steps/min)
    2. Have another student do the same thing, though take a step every four seconds. (20 seconds = 5 steps, 15 steps/min)
    3. Show conversion from seconds to minutes for each, set up 20/60 = 4/x.
  1. Reflecting and explaining
    1. Compare the two: look at the total distance in steps. Look at the time and the rate.
    2. Ask the students to determine about how long it took, how long the student was timed.
    3. Ask the students the rate, how often did they take steps.
  1. Hypothesizing and Articulating
    1. Ask the students to determine the formula
    1. what factors determined the distance of each student
    2. how could you find the distance, knowing the time and rate. Hopefully, the students will discover that already by the previous questioning.
    1. Write the formula on the board
  1. Verifying and Refining
    1. Give hypothetical example: How long would it take Heather to walk 10 steps if she took a step every 5 seconds.
    2. 12 steps/min * T = 10 steps
    3. 10/12 min = T
    4. T = 5/6 minutes