Instructional Software

Lesson Idea Name: Differentiation with Trigonometric Functions

Content Area: Calculus
Grade Level(s): 12th grade

Content Standard Addressed: MC.D.1 Students will demonstrate an understanding of the definition of the
derivative of a function at a point, and the notion of differentiability.
a. Demonstrate an understanding of the derivative of a function as the slope of the tangent line to the graph
of the function.
b. Demonstrate an understanding of the interpretation of the derivative as instantaneous rate of change.

Technology Standard Addressed: 5b. Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to
analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making

Selected Technology Tool: Desmos

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): https://www.desmos.com/calculator/2lj4j8kz4v

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):

The Desmos activity provides a handy simulation for the derivatives of sin(x) and cos(x). Its visuals
are vastly beneficial since variable derivatives can be hard to mentally picture even for the high-
achieving students. This activity enhances the representation aspect of the UDL framework by
providing “visual diagrams, charts, notations of music or sound” which is one of the options of
perception.

Spring 2018_SJB
 Instructional Software
Lesson idea implementation:
The activity will be introduced with a warm-up to define the quotient rule of differentiation.
Students will then find the derivatives of sin(x) and cos(x) through the activity on desmos using
laptops from the school’s mobile lab. As it is a computer simulation activity, differentiation is
achieved as students can work at their own reasonable pace to find the derivatives. Using these
derivatives, they will then use the quotient rule of differentiation to find the derivatives of the other
4 major trigonometric functions by hand. The lesson will conclude with a wrap-up summary of the
new differentiation tactics and rules that students learned. The whole process should not take
longer than one hour.
Student learning can be assessed with a worksheet involving differentiation of more complex
trigonometric functions. Once students know the derivatives of the base trigonometric functions,
they have the skills and tools to differentiate more complex trigonometric functions as it is simply an
extension to the differentiation rules they should already know. An extension to student learning
could involve an exploration asking why the derivatives of sin(x) and cos(x) are periodic. Feedback
will be provided through the grade received on the worksheet they turn in.

Reflective Practice:
This activity could hopefully aid students in seeing patterns with derivatives and being able to better
visualize “the derivative of a function as the slope of the tangent line to the graph of the function”
which also happens to be the content standard for this activity.
As mentioned above, an extension to student learning could involve an exploration asking why the
derivatives of sin(x) and cos(x) are periodic as opposed to taking this characteristic for granted.
Although another technology tool would not supplement student learning well for this particular
activity, it could be beneficial for students to open up another window in Desmos and plot the
periodic functions with derivatives at specific points to see whether the derivatives were tangent to
the parent functions at respective points. This would reinforce student learning of the definition of a
derivative and help students self-assess their own understanding.

Spring 2018_SJB