Rolling Die For Indicate Gradient Form In Addition To Desmos Awesomeness

This twelvemonth I did something wrong.  Something seriously wrong.

What did I do wrong?  I'm non alone sure.  But, my students are convinced that point-slope shape is easier than gradient intercept form.  This. Has. Never. Happened. Before.  My students commonly dread point-slope form.  They cry.  They whine.  They threaten to driblet out of schoolhouse because algebra is likewise hard.  The calendar week or thence that nosotros pass actively engaged inwards working alongside point-slope shape is non a happy week.  At to the lowest degree it wasn't until this year.

So, what was different?  I tin intend of 2 things.

Giant Foam Dice and Desmos.


Instead of giving my students problems, I permit them create their ain problems.  Or, I estimate I should nation the die created their problems for them.  First, students worked together inwards pairs of two.  Each twain got a giant foam die.  My math instructor coworker across the hall gave me these correct earlier schoolhouse started.  They are SO handy!

Decide earlier yous start how to determine which numbers volition last positive in addition to which volition last negative.  We decided to brand strange numbers negative in addition to fifty-fifty numbers positive.  This worked okay.  It led to a lot to a greater extent than horizontal in addition to vertical lines than if yous flipped a money to determine positive/negative.  But, I intend I'm okay alongside that.  Usually, I fail to give my students plenty practise alongside problems where the points shape a business alongside nothing or undefined (or Undefiiiiiiiiiinnnnneeeeddd! equally Slope Dude would say) slope.

Roll the perish twice to shape the get-go ordered pair.  Roll the perish 2 to a greater extent than times to shape the minute ordered pair.  At this point, students knew from their notes on point-slope shape that they had to determine the gradient of the business that went through these 2 points.  However, my students knew they had 2 options.  They could graph the 2 points in addition to honour the gradient that way.  Or, they could purpose a tabular array in addition to their vertical reveal lines to honour the slope.  (More nigh that here!)  Students could pick whichever means they felt to a greater extent than comfortable.  


It was thence proficient to come across kids using their notebooks.  It's a reminder that the notes nosotros own got inwards aeroplane genuinely do brand a difference.

Having institute the slope, students plugged the gradient in addition to 1 of their points into the formula for point-slope form.  Then, nosotros converted the equation to gradient intercept shape for fifty-fifty to a greater extent than practise alongside slope-intercept form.

This is where things own got a radical plough from how I've done them inwards the past.  Usually, I would last similar "Yay, nosotros institute the equation of the line.  Go us!  Let's do roughly other one."  The work alongside this is that my students aren't convinced that this equation genuinely goes through these points.  Assuming we've made no errors, I'm convinced.  But, in addition to thence again, I'm an algebra teacher.  The idea of teaching equations is what makes me desire to travel out of bed inwards the morning.  My students?  Not thence much.  


My students postulate to last convinced, though.  I could own got them graph the 2 points in addition to graph the business they institute inwards gradient intercept form.  But, knowing my students, they would likely only describe a business through the 2 points in addition to "pretend" it matched the equation.  No, they postulate amend proof.  Definitive proof.  And, that's what desmos provided us.

If my schoolhouse had laptops, or ipads, or wifi access for students, I would permit them each cheque their ain travel equally they went.  But, sadly, that's non the type of schoolhouse I travel in.  We don't fifty-fifty own got a information processor lab that nosotros tin own got students to.  I come across the activities that other teachers are able to do alongside their students in addition to desmos, in addition to I learn super jealous.  Extremely jealous.  Life goes on, though.  And, I remind myself that I am providing the best instruction for my students that I know how to alongside the resources I own got been provided with.

Anyway.  Let's learn dorsum to how I was able to purpose desmos inwards my classroom.  I pulled upwardly desmos on my desktop computer.  As pairs of students institute the equations that went through their pairs of points, I had them convey their dry out erase boards upwardly to my desk.  I inserted the 2 points they had rolled alongside the die into desmos.  Then, alongside bang-up fanfare, I typed inwards the equation they had come upwardly up with.



One of 2 things happened.  Cheers because the business rattling clearly went through both points.  Or groans.  The students who cheered were sent dorsum to their desks to repeat the procedure alongside newly rolled points.  The students who groaned were sent dorsum to their desks to hold off for their mistake.

The feedback was instant in addition to glorious.  Thank yous Desmos!



And, there's only something dissimilar nigh the information processor hide telling yous you're correct in addition to your math instructor telling yous you're right.

As the twelvemonth has progressed, students nevertheless enquire sometimes if nosotros tin "desmos" something when they desire to cheque their work.  And, of course, I ever nation yes.  :)



Later on inwards the chapter, nosotros were studying parallel in addition to perpendicular lines.  We pulled out the die again.  Roll the dice.  Form 2 points.  Find a business that is parallel to the business that goes through these 2 points.  Find a business that is perpendicular to the business that goes through these 2 points.  More desmos.  More awesomeness.  

Though, I estimate nosotros do postulate to travel a flake on our spelling of parallel in addition to perpendicular. ;)

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