In all classrooms, there are students with different levels of ability. No matter what concept is being taught, presenting the basics to the class and then providing activities that individualize instruction meets the needs of more students and provides opportunities for student engagement and feeling of success. Writing lesson plans for such classroom interaction can […]
Tag Archives: PreCalculus Lesson
Polar Coordinates – Baby Talk
You’ve heard the saying “talk to me like I am three” when trying to explain or understand something complex. The approach to introducing polar coordinates must be made using that same philosophy. For students to understand how to graph polar coordinates and equations, these lessons must use a scaffolding method where students understand each piece […]
Introduction to Vectors – Navigating the Seas
Early navigators used math to chart their course and stay on it when dealing with factors such as wind and ocean current that affected their journeys. The system left something to be desired regarding accuracy. With the use of Introduction to vectors, your students can complete the activity that is linked below and gain not […]
How to Teach Ellipses and Circles
When students see a concept presented in more than one way, the chances of understanding increase. Many teachers have students draw ellipses and circles by attaching a loop of string to two tacks placed in corrugated cardboard. Students use a pencil to draw the ellipse by placing it at one of the tacks and moving […]
How to Teach Matrix Multiplication
The ‘Illuminations” Lessons from the NCTM website are an excellent resource for many mathematics concepts. Math teachers often take the ideas of others and tweak them to suit their level of comfort or match the activity to the ability level of students. One of the lessons entitled, Computer Animation, is a fun way for students […]
Verifying Trigonometric Identities – Commit and Toss
WARNING 🙂 You are going to let students throw paper wads or paper airplanes in your class. The activity is used for closure during the later portion of a class period. Anytime you can interject some play, the task is less complicated, and students are more open to discussion with their peers. Commit and Toss […]
Right Triangle Trigonometry – Get Triggy Wit It
Start your Right Triangle Trigonometry lesson with the YouTube video linked below. It is based on Will Smith’s rap song ‘Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,’ entitled, ‘Get Triggy Wit It.’ It may not have a lot of trigonometry content, but it does introduce sine, cosine, and tangent and how they relate to a right triangle. If […]
Exponential Functions – One Grain of Rice
Read the book, One Grain of Rice, to your students. You will be amazed at how older students will pay attention when you read the book to them. It is a nice way to introduce the concept of Exponential Functions and start the class differently than the norm. One Grain of Rice Activity Give them […]