TCNJ Lesson Plan

Title: __Using Similar Triangles to Interpret Slope__

Unit #_1_ Lesson #_6 (New)_ Day # _6 (New)_

Aim/Focus Question
Aim/Focus Question: Write out the Big Content Objective from the Unit Plan
How can we show that the slope is the same between any two distinct points using similar triangles?

Assessment(s)

Learning Objectives (SWBAT) with Standards Codes

How will you assess the students understanding of the learning objectives? Include on-going formative assessments and any
summative assessment.
Daily Content Objectives:
1.

Use similar triangles to explain why the slope m is

the same between any two distinct points on a nonvertical line in the coordinate plane.

1.

Mini-Lesson/Worksheet

1.

Mini-Lesson- when the students are asked to recall what

slope is and how to find it.
Worksheet- when finding the slope using two different
sets of points.

Big Skill Objectives:

1.
2.

Recall and activate prior knowledge.

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving
them.

2.

Student Understandings/Misunderstandings/Misconceptions
What do you anticipate your students already know going into this lesson, misunderstanding, and having misconceptions of?
I anticipate the students having trouble with applying the rise over run formula to a graph with labeled points. I fear that they may
try to draw the associated triangle between two points as the run over the rise, which would produce incorrect results. I also
anticipate my students having difficulty with following instructions with finding the slope between two different sets of points. I
have a feeling they will ignore the instructions and simply find the slope using one set of points, which will end up getting points of
on the test.

Beginning (Do Now/Opening/Hook)

Your beginning should engage students in the material for the day and be related to the objectives above. It is good to make your
beginning relevant to the students lives and to make an overt connection between the beginning and the objectives for the day.
Opening:
! !!
The teacher will draw the graph of the line y=2x+1 on the board. The students are to use the slope formula ( = ! ! ) to find
the slope between any two of the labeled points.
(5 min)

!! !!!

A student will be asked to give the two points that they used. This same student will be asked to help label the points with their xand y-values and plug into the formula for slope. After the class finds that the slope is 2, the teacher will ask if anyone used two
different points. If someone volunteers two different points, use them. Otherwise, pick two other points and have the students help
with plugging into the formula.
After the same slope is attained as before, the teacher will ask the class if this is a coincidence, to which the students should answer

No.
(10 min)
***This leads directly into the days lesson.

Transition
Explicitly connect the discussion
of the Opening to the days
Aim and then to the first
Activity.

Transition: Does anyone think they have an idea of why this wasnt a coincidence? Why is the
slope of this line the same between any two points?

Answer: Because the steepness of a line doesnt change, so the slope would be the same
between any two points. (< 1 min)

Middle Context/Application (Mini Lesson, Activity, Guided Practice)

Be sure that your middle section includes a balance of instructional time and time for application.
Include transitions (in italics) when moving to another topic/activity.
Make sure that all activities have clear instructions for the students (written down and delivered) and that you model activities for
the students, when needed. It is useful to list/outline the instructions.
Instructions:
Mini-Lesson: The lesson will start with the teacher reminding the class that the slope is the rise over run. The class, as a whole, will
then analyze this to get to the point that it is the change in the y-values over the change in the x-values.

The teacher will then draw the change in y-values on the graph of the Do Now as a vertical line starting from the y-value
of the first point and going up to the y-value of the second point.
o He/she will then do the same thing by drawing a line going from the top of the first line (the x-value of the first
point) over to the x-value of the second point.
(Q1)
(Q2)
At this point, the teacher will repeat the process with the second set of points chosen from the Do Now, only this time, the
students will be asked to do most of the work, seeing as it was just modeled for them.
(Q3)
(Q4)
Using the two different sets of points from the Do Now, the teacher will demonstrate how the rise over run simplifies to 2
in both cases, which was the answer that the class arrived at by plugging into the more formal formula in the Do Now.

(25 min)
***Note: The teacher will tell the class that whenever he/she asks for them to find the slope using at least two similar triangles, that
really means using two different sets of points, as they just did.

(Q5)
o

They are similar, and since the sides of similar triangles are proportional, it makes sense that the rise over run
would simplify to 2 in both cases.

(3 min)
***Note (Checking your answer): The teacher will explain that if you get a different slope using two different sets of points on a
line, then you made a small error in your calculations. This serves as a good way of checking your work.

***Its okay to get a fraction as your slope, because that is simply the rise over run. It doesnt need to be simplified to a decimal.
(4 min)
Now that weve gone over slope in a little more depth and related it to similar triangles, Im going to pass out a worksheet for you
guys with 2 problems on it. In each one, you are to find the slope of the line using at least 2 similar triangles. (Q6) (< 1 min)
Worksheet: The students will be given a worksheet with two graphs on it with at least three points labeled. They are asked to find
the slope of each line using at least two similar triangles (using two different sets of points). Students can work with the students
sitting around them.
The teacher will first set the timer on the board for 15 minutes of work time. Then he/she will walk around and monitor student
work, answering any questions the students may have.
(15 min)
The teacher will then quickly go over answers by calling on students via the Popsicle Stick method. This review will resemble the
classwork where the students will be asked for two different sets of points that they used. The rise over run method will be
emphasized because of its simplicity as opposed to the method of plugging into the formula.
(5 min)
Great job today guys! Well come back to this stuff later, but for now, I need everyone to grab a laptop from the cart in the back of
the room and log onto i-Ready for the next 35 min. (< 1 min)
i-Ready: Students will be given 3 i-Ready lessons to complete that they will need to pass 2 of. (35 min-mandatory Kilmer
allotment)

SAMPLE QUESTIONS
What questions will I ask
during the activity/ lesson?
Include anticipated student
answers in parentheses.
Above, write where in the
instructions the question will
go, using parentheses (ex. Q1).

Knowledge Questions:
(Q1) What shape have we just drawn here? (a right triangle)
(Q2) Now what makes this a right triangle again? Does anyone remember? (It has a 90 degree
angle in it)
(Q3) Whats the formula for slope? ( =

!! !!!
!! !!!

Application Questions:
(Q6) What does it mean when I ask for the slope via at least 2 similar triangles? (You are
asking for us to find the slope using at least two different sets of points)
Critical Thinking Questions:
(Q4) What does this formula for slope mean? What other forms of this formula have we used?
(rise over run/ change in y-values over change in x-values)
(Q5) What do you guys notice about the two triangles we just created? (They look almost the
same/ they are similar triangles)

Differentiation

Struggling

Baseline

Accelerated

These students will only be asked to do the

first problem on the worksheet, but they
will be asked to write a sentence or two
explaining their answer and asking why it
makes sense.

These students will perform the

activity as directed.

These students will be asked to write a

sentence or two for each problem
explaining why their answer makes sense in
terms of rise over run and the formula.

Transition
Connect the Application with
the Conclusion.

Transition: I need everyone to shut their laptops down and put them in the back of the room. As
soon as you do, Ill give you your exit slip for the day. It relates back to what we did in our lesson.
(< 1 min)

End /Conclusion of the Lesson

End each lesson together as a class to sum up the material for the day and bring the class back to the Learning Objectives and
Aim for the day.
Exit Ticket: Students will be given an exit ticket with a graph with three points plotted. The work to find the slope using two
different sets of points has already been done, but the student who did the work got two different answers for their slope, which is
impossible. So, the students are asked to find this students mistake and correct it.
The teacher will recreate the students work from the exit ticket on the board and ask for a student to come up and circle the mistake
in the work.
At this point, the teacher will clarify for anyone who cant see the mistake. (The student forgot to include a negative sign for the
second set of points when plugging into the formula)
(10 min)
Recap: The teacher will call on a student to recap the days events and what was learned.
(2 min)

Homework
What is the students homework to help them apply the knowledge they have learned from the days lesson?
(HW#6) Students will be given The Cookie Problem, which they are to create a ratio table for a word problem and then graph the
data. Once the data is graphed, they are to find the slope of the line using at least two different sets of points.

Materials
List any materials you need for the lesson.

Whiteboard
Laptop cart
Classwork Worksheets
Exit Tickets

***Add handouts/resources below***