Instructional Software

Lesson Idea Name: Creating and Graphing Linear Functions Using Real-World Occupations
Content Area: Coordinate Algebra
Grade Level(s): 9

Content Standard Addressed:

 MGSE9-12.A.CED.2 Create linear, quadratic, and exponential equations in two or more variables to
represent relationships between quantities; graphing equations on coordinate axes with labels and
scales.

Technology Standard Addressed:

 Empowered Learner 1c. Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their
practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
 Knowledge Constructor 3d. Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and
problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions.

Selected Technology Tool:

 Desmos

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

Type of Instructional Software:

☒ Drill and Practice ☐ Tutorial ☐ Simulation ☐ Instructional Game ☐ e-books/e-references

Features of this software (check all that apply):

☒ Assessment Monitoring/Reporting
☒ Allows teacher to create customized lessons for students
☐ Multi-user or collaborative functions with others in the class
☐ Multi-user or collaborative with others outside the class
☒ Accessible to students beyond the school day
☒ Accessible via mobile devices
☒ Multiple languages
☒ Safety, security and/or privacy features

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☒ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

Engagement-
 This topic has been related to an event that the students are interested in, occupational wealth.
 Students can practice, with their group, on a large floor grid (with large dots, ribbon, or string) or
with geoboards with rubber bands, whiteboards or graphing calculators (when graphing by hand).
 Students may use self-monitoring checklist if needed.
Ms. Brittney Leigh-Scott
 Instructional Software
 Teacher circulates, questions, provides needed cues/prompts, and feedback.
Representation-
 Not only will the directions be said aloud, but they will also be printed and given to every group of
students to accommodate the students with auditory impairments.
 Prompts will be used to review the vocabulary for the lesson.
 The teacher demonstrates with graphic calculator projected to white board while thinking aloud
(when reviewing how to graph linear equations).
 Using Desmos is a way to scaffold the lesson.
 Working in groups give students the opportunity to receive information in a way that’s different from
the instruction given by the teacher.
Action and expression-
 Students will create a three-part foldable with the equations, solutions, and graphs for the daily
monthly and yearly incomes.
 Students can share results and thinking aloud.

Lesson idea implementation:

The students will create and graph linear equations based upon real-world occupational incomes. The
teacher will act as a facilitator walking around and helping where needed. The teacher will introduce the
activity by saying, “Today we will continue our lesson on linear equations. We will explore how linear
equations can determine daily, monthly and annual incomes. In groups of three, you will be responsible for
picking an occupation and determining the hourly pay for it (a list of occupations with hourly rates will be
provided for the students). Then, you will create a two variable linear equation including the hourly rate.
Next, you will calculate the daily, monthly, and annual incomes. After completing that, you will graph the
linear equation with each value (daily, monthly, annual incomes) represented. To ensure that you have
graphed each equation correctly, you will check your work using Desmos.”
The activity should take two class blocks to complete (90 minutes each). As the students are working, the
teacher is actively assessing student work to see if there are any small group, or class wide misconceptions,
that need to be addressed. For example, if the teacher notices that majority of the students are having
trouble with creating the initial equation, she will stop student work and address this issue with the entire
class. Also, at the end of the second class, the original equation used to determine income, along with the
equations used to determine daily, monthly, and annual incomes, and the graphs that represent these values,
will be collected for further review. The teacher will again assess student progress and if she notices more
misconceptions, she will review them the following day.
After assessing the student work, the teacher will be able to see how differentiation should take place in
the future. If there are students who struggled with the initial step of creating the equation, these students
may need to spend more time on this topic. Whereas, students who exceled throughout the lesson, may
become guides helping the struggling students on a follow up assignment or they may be given more difficult
longer tasks. An extension to this activity would be to examine how bonuses (weekly, monthly, annually) are
represented in a linear equation and on a graph. Some of the questions that will be asked include: Where
does the bonus show up graphically? What happens to my linear function? Is it still a function? Is a year-end
bonus represented the same way as a starting bonus? Why or why not? The lesson will be concluded by
having a fishbowl exercise. Students will write down any questions that they still have about the lesson. The
questions will then be pulled out of a “fishbowl” and answered by a student who feels comfortable giving an
answer. If no one knows the answer, then and only then will the teacher give it to them. After collecting the
student work and carefully examining it, the teacher will be able to provide feedback directly on the
assignment. The assignment will then be returned to the student to make corrections on.
Reflective Practice:
After designing this lesson idea, I believe that this activity will positively affect student learning. Students
are not being asked to simply “plug and chug” numbers to reach values that have no real-world meaning.
Ms. Brittney Leigh-Scott
 Instructional Software
Instead, students are asked to create linear equations, which allows them to understand each part of the
equation and where it comes from. Similarly, by asking them to graph these equations, students can see how
each part of the equation can be displayed on a graph. Not to mention, the activity allows students to see
how algebra takes place in every day life by using it to determine incomes. This idea is the conclusion to the
lesson on linear equations, because they essentially are putting everything they have learned about them into
practice. One way to extend on this activity without delving into a new math topic would be to examine the
real-world aspect of it further. We could turn this activity into a project about budgeting. With this activity we
know how much a specific occupation brings home daily, monthly, and yearly. Students could use this
information then figure out how much rent, car insurance, etc. they could afford on this salary. Another piece
of technology that could have been used in place of Desmos would be a graphing calculator. They do not offer
as many features as Desmos but for the purpose of this assignment they are sufficient.

Ms. Brittney Leigh-Scott