(NOTE: This outline has been updated to address the inclusion of Alternating

Series Error form in the AP Calculus BC curriculum, new for 2016-2017. This lesson
plan outline is used by my school.)
Lesson Plan Outline
(One or two sentences will suffice. You are writing to yourself. Sometimes working backwards from the Assessment
portion can help bring a lesson together.)

Teacher Name Michael Taylor Date 3/26/2017 Room D3

Subject AP Calculus BC Topic: Alternating Series Error and Lagrange Error

Standards addressed: (State or department)

California Common Core State Standards (Calculus Standards, pg. 116)

26.0 Students calculate Taylor Polynomials and Taylor series of basic functions, including the remainder (error)
term.

College Board Standards

EU (Enduring Understanding) 4.2 A function can be represented by an associated power series over the interval
of convergence for the power series
LO (Learning Objective) 4.2aConstruct and use Taylor Polynomials
EK (Essential Knowledge) 4.2A4The Lagrange Error Bound can be used to bound the error of a
Taylor Polynomial approximation to a function.
EK (Essential Knowledge) 4.2A5In some situations where the signs of the Taylor polynomials
are alternating, the alternating series error bound can be used to bound the error of a Taylor polynomial
approximation to the function.

Student Prior Knowledge of this Topic: Students are acquainted with Taylors formula, the construction of Taylor
series, power series, and tests for convergence.

Objective(s) (state what the students will do, how they will do it and at what point you will evaluate accomplishment):

1. The Learner will: Understand how to construct a useful maximum error form for alternating and non-
alternating Taylor polynomials.

2. The Learner will: Implement the error form by writing Taylor polynomials that predict the value of a
function at a value of x within a desired margin of error.

3. The Learner will: Apply Taylor polynomials and the Lagrange and Alternating Series error forms to applied
problems in mathematics, physics and engineering.

Introduction: (Anticipatory Set, Catch Attention)

I will introduce the learning objectives, and refer to a well understood physics concept involving electric dipoles that
appears to have quite a complicated solution. The problem will be demonstrated through a video and visual aids. I
will explain that todays Calculus lesson will let us solve this interesting problem.
Development: (Engage their minds, Arouse their interest)
Students will participate in guided notes, guided inquiry group collaborative exercises, guided inquiry problem
solving, and critical thinking exercises developing Taylor series and error forms. The guided inquiry notes and
exercises are presented on Canvas, and some work is done with Web Assign as well. The group composition is
flexible and can be changed when beneficial.

Conclusion: (Reprise, ask "What have we learned?")

Students will fill out an exit ticket where they are required to determine how many terms to sum in a Taylor
Polynomial to achieve a given level of accuracy. The same exercise is repeated for an Alternating Taylor series. Exit
tickets are analyzed to see how well the lesson achieved the learning objectives.

Activity: (Relate to topic)

Students partake in guided inquiry exercises within the context of collaborative group discussion, that lead students
to develop ideas of Lagrange and Alternating Series Error forms utilizing prior knowledge. The Lagrange error
integral is given to students as one of the guided inquiry questions (What is the result in terms of a Taylor Series if
we evaluate this integral?). The inquiry questions then lead students toward application of the mean value theorem,
and the development of the Lagrange Error form. The Alternating series error form is also developed along with
the convergence criteria for an alternating series. All exercises are done in the context of group collaboration
utilizing flexible grouping strategies implemented to provide differentiated instruction and access to course content
for all students.

Assessment: (Relate to objectives, how will the students demonstrate learning?)

Students will demonstrate learning through completion of the guided inquiry exercises which are done
on Notability and turned in on Canvas and Web Assign. Students will solve two problems relating to
Taylor Series Error (an alternating and non-alternating case), relating to real world examples from physics
and mathematics. These problems are designed to build critical thinking, communication, and group
collaboration skills.