6-8
Students will continue their investigation of the Paper Pool game by exploring more tables and organizing the results. Using the data that they collect, they will attempt to find a relationship between the size of the table, the number of hits that occur, and the pocket in which the ball lands.
6-8
In the first four lessons of this unit, students investigated the Paper Pool game, collected data, identified patterns, and made predictions about the number of hits, the pocket in which the ball lands, and the path of travel. In this lesson, students finalize their work and write a report that summarizes all of their findings.
6-8
In this lesson, students continue their investigation by discovering a rule to predict the pocket in which the ball will land. As an extension, students can also consider the number of squares that a ball crosses while traversing its path.
6-8
Finding a rule for the number of hits is only the first step in exploring the Paper Pool game. Students can gain a deeper understanding of the patterns by considering graphical representations of the results.
6-8, 9-12
Each student creates parallelograms from square sheets of paper and connects them to form an octagon. During the construction, students consider angle measures, segment lengths, and areas in terms of the original square. At the end of the lesson, the octagon is transformed into a pinwheel, and students discover a surprising result.
6-8
A self discovery approach in understand the process of plotting points on a coordinate plane, using a program for TI Graphing Calculator.
6-8
During this lesson, students will explore the handshake problem, a
classic problem in mathematics that asks, "How many handshakes occur
when
n people shake hands with each other?" Groups work to
determine how many handshakes take place among the nine Supreme Court
justices, and then generalize to the number of handshakes in any size
group. Students explore the problem using a verbal description, a
table, a graph, a picture, and an algebraic formula.
6-8
Using spreadsheets, students will explore another pattern, that of the triangular numbers. This exploration will enhance students’ ability to generalize a pattern with variables.
6-8
Students use the Balance Pans Applet- Expressions Tool to explore algebraic expressions. They determine if algebraic expressions are equal. They balance pans to solve a system of equations and use graphing to find the solutions to a system of equations.
6-8
Students will balance shapes on the pan balance applet to study equality, essential to understanding algebra. Equivalent relationships will be recognized when the pans balance, demonstrating the properties of equality.
