LESSON DESIGN

Lesson Function Notation and Word Date November 16, 2017

Title/Focus Problems
Subject/Grade Math 10C Time Duration 87 minutes
Level
Unit Functions and Relations Teacher Amy Novak

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

• Relations and Functions SO 1 - Interpret and explain the relationships among data, graphs and
situations. 
[C, CN, R, T, V]

• Relations and Functions SO 8 - Represent a linear function, using function notation. [CN, ME, V]
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Express the equation of a linear function in two variables, using function notation.
2. Express an equation given in function notation as a linear function in two variables.
3. Determine the related range value, given a domain value for a linear function; e.g., if f(x) = 3x –
2, determine f(–1).
4. Determine the related domain value, given a range value for a linear function; e.g., if g(t) = 7 +
t, determine t so that g(t) = 15.
5. Sketch the graph of a linear function expressed in function notation.
6. Graph, with or without technology, a set of data, and determine the restrictions on the domain
and range.
7. Explain why data points should or should not be connected on the graph for a situation.
8. Describe a possible situation for a given graph.
9. Sketch a possible graph for a given situation.
10. Determine, and express in a variety of ways, the domain and range of a graph, a set of
ordered pairs or a table of values.
ASSESSMENTS
Observations • Participation in discussions
o Verbal responses
o Show me on your fingers
Performances/Products • Completed notes
• Assignment questions
• Desmos activity (provides continuous formative assessment and
instant feedback for students)
PLAN FOR DIFFERENTIATION
• Outline notes provided in workbook
• Option to work individually and in groups
• Information presented orally and visually
• Activity and use of technology provides a different entry point to learning
• Clarify syntax and structure
• Activate or supply background knowledge
• Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas and relationships
• Provide multiple representations of the concept
• Extension activity for advanced students who finish early
 POTENTIAL AREAS OF MISCONCEPTION
In the bumper cars example, students may graph Ask students if time can go in reverse. Remind
the path of the bumper car instead of the students that even if the car goes backwards, time
distance travelled. continues to move forward. Show them an example
with distance from home, e.g., if Cheryl walks to
school, stays at school for the day, and then walks
home, the graph will return to 0 on the y-axis but
not on the x-axis.
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
• AVP iWrite Math Foundations of Mathematics • iPad
and Pre-Calculus Book 10 • PDF Notes
• Computers (One-to-one)
PROCEDURE
Time Description

Introduction 5 min Let students know that we will start with a short lesson, and then do
an activity that will build on what we cover today and get them
thinking about what we will be covering tomorrow. Review what was
covered in the past few classes. We talked about functions, function
notation and how we can graph equations in function notation, and
now we’re going to look at how we can use function notation to
interpret contextual scenarios.
Direct Instruction 15 min Introduce the problem. We have looked at this problem before, but
and Guided Practice it was expressed in the x-y notation that we’re used to. Because
there is only one output for every input we can express it as a
function. What if we said that we wanted to write it as a function
where the height depends on time? What is the independent
variable in this scenario? t. The depending variable or output is h(t).

Go over class example 1. Start by going over how to graph the

function on their graphing calculator. First discuss the window
settings. Does it make sense for t to be negative? No. Why? It
represents time. So what would be a reasonable window setting?
Maybe -2. How about in the positive direction? How long is
reasonable for a candle to burn to nothing? Would it take 2 hours?
100 hours? Maybe 10 hours sounds reasonable, but we can
always adjust when we see our graph. I have some candles at
home that are supposed to last 50 hours, but I admittedly have
never timed them to make sure. How about for h(t) or h to be
negative? What does h(t) represent? The height of the candle after
time t. Does it make sense for a candle to have negative height?
No. So again, maybe -2 for our y axis, so we can see the y-
intercept, but don’t need much in the negative direction. How
about the max value of our y-axis? Can anyone tell me what the y-
intercept is by looking at the graph? What is the value of t at the y-
intercept? 0. So the y-intercept is 12. Therefore, maybe set our
maximum y value to 15. Ask students to graph the function.

How can we determine h(5)? There are a few different ways. We

can use the value function on our calculator, we can look at our
 table, or we can simply plug it into our equation. Ask students to
try whichever way they prefer and when they have answer, show
me on your fingers, e.g., if they get 3 for your answer, hold up
three fingers.

Go over the meaning of h(5) as a class – after 5 hours burning, the

candle is at a height of 2 cm.

Ask students to try question d on their own and then go over as a

class. For (d) (iii) point out that the graph does not continue past
the x axis. Need to think of the domain and range in the context of
the problem.

For (e) again there are multiple ways to solve this problem. Let’s
first start by solving with the equation, and then we will confirm on
our graphing calculator. How can we solve this on our graphing
calculator? Graph the line y = 7 and fine the intersect. What does
2.5 mean in this context? 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Note that it is important to consider context when considering the

domain and range. Domain is t such that 0 is less than or equal to t
and less than or equal to 6, t is and element of the real numbers. Is
t a discrete or continuous value? Complete range as well. What
number system is h(t) part of?
Desmos Activity 30 min Ask students to open their laptops and go to student.desmos.com,
log in with their Rockyview Google accounts and enter the code
that is written on the board. While students are doing this, go to
the student version of Desmos on the iPad for demonstration
purposes and open the teacher version of Desmos on the laptop to
view student progress. Tell students that the activity we’re going to
be doing is called Function Carnival, and we’re going to be looking
at some functions that we don’t know how to graph on our
graphing calculator. Once all of the students have had a chance to
get into the activity, go over briefly how to use the application.
Show them how they can plot points to keep track of the
movement of cannon man, and how when they draw a curve, they
can see how their curve compares to the actual motion of cannon
man. Emphasize that I am not expecting perfectly precise curves
since I know how wiggly the lines are when you’re doing it on a
computer, but just to start to get a feel for how different scenarios
can be translated into a graph since we will be looking at that in
more depth in our next class. Explain that if their graph is correct,
that both cannon mans will move in the same way. Remind
students that we looked at something very similar to this in lesson
6, minus the parachute. Once students have had a chance to try
the first graph (can monitor this using the teacher dashboard), go
over what it should look like and why. Gravity slows cannon man
down on the way up and speeds him up on the way down, but
then the parachute breaks his fall and he falls steadily to the
ground.

Have students try the next example, then go over as a class. Note
that the bumper car moves at a steady speed until it stops, at
 which time the distance doesn’t change but time keeps moving.
Show students the common misconception of drawing the path of
the car and ask students if time can move in reverse. Note that just
because the bumper car moves in a negative direction, we don’t
go back in time. Ask students if we draw the path of the car, is the
resulting graph is a function? No, because the car will be in two
places at the same time. We want to draw the car’s total distance,
not its path.

Finally, have students try the final graph and once they are done,
show them how to plot the points and connect them together. Let
them know that they will see this type of graph in grade 12, and it
can be used to model periodic functions. For students who finish
early, there is an extension activity.
Independent 37 min Students have time to work independently on their assignment
Practice questions. Circulate around the room to answer questions.

REFLECTIONS FROM THE LESSON

I was extremely happy with how this lesson went. Students were very responsive and engaged
throughout, and they seemed to really enjoy the activity. I liked the “Show me” strategy as it allowed
me to see that all of my students were able to find the answer. I thought my classroom management
worked well today too. I never had to raise my voice but I was able to gain the attention of the class
when I needed it. Some of the students have told me that I should yell to get their attention, but I think
it’s just what they’re used to and over time they’ll get used to my style. The activity was very
successful, though I may be will be more deliberate next time about linking it to what we’re covering as
I received some feedback afterwards that it was really fun, but students were sure why they were doing
it. However, I do feel like even if they don’t necessary understand exactly why, they are still learning
about how motion translates into graphs by doing the activity. The activity gave me a good opportunity
to interact with all of the students, who were more receptive to talking because they were having fun,
and I was also able to have some good laughs with students who were able to make funny designs in
their graphs or make the cannon man or bumper cars do crazy things. I will definitely do this activity
again in the future.