LESSON PLAN: ALGEBRA, GRADE 9 (Problem-Based Learning)

Date: October 10-11

Teacher’s Name: Murat Karaoglu

Grade: 9, Algebra 1

Topic: Modeling with Linear Equations

Concept/Lesson: Linear Equations

Subject: Mathematics

Description of Lesson: Collaborating in their small groups, students will work on how to
create a rule that will convert the temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius. Then they will
brainstorm on how it would feel to live in 40 degrees Celsius.

Timeline of Lesson: Two 50 min class periods or one 90 min block. Because students will do
presentations at the end of the lesson, additional time might be given based on their needs.

Common Core State Standards:

Create equations and inequalities in one variable and use them to solve problems.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.F.B.4
Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the
rate of change and initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from
two (x, y) values, including reading these from a table or from a graph. Interpret the rate of
change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models, and in terms
of its graph or a table of values.

Lesson objectives:

Students will be able to describe the steps of using two points (ordered pairs) to create a
linear equation to model a conversion problem and use this equation to solve the problem.

Materials and equipment:

A computer connected to projector to launch the lesson.

Poster papers, colored pencils, markers, rulers, and calculators for students to use during
their group discussion as well as their poster presentations.

Introduction:

I will start the lesson with a warm up that will connect the lesson to the previous
day on which students learned how to write linear equations in slope-intercept form.

After the warm up debrief, I will share the learning objectives of the lesson and pose
the following central problem on the scales of temperatures: Errors in conversions have
real-world consequences. “One conversion error between U.S. and metric measurements
sent a $125 million NASA probe to its fiery death in Mars’ atmosphere” (Beauchamp, 2015,
June 4). In every country except the United States, Celsius is used to measure temperature.
Therefore, it would be helpful to have a rule to convert temperatures.
Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Fahrenheit. It boils at 100 degrees
Celsius and 212 degrees Fahrenheit. There is a linear relationship between the
temperature Celsius and temperature Fahrenheit. Using this information, how would you
create a rule that will do the conversion? Using your rule, what do you think it feels like to
live in an environment where the temperature is around 40 degrees Celsius? Explain your
reasoning.
Instructional activities and procedures:

I will have students work in discussion teams of 3-4 independently with my guidance.
Students will have a choice on questions to ask and products to create such as posters,
papers, presentation, etc. I will encourage students ask questions to each other while
solving the problem. In order to facilitate this, I will hand out each student a list of
questioning cues. This list might include but not limited to questions such as:
What do we need to be able to ______? (write a linear equation/find the slope-starting point)
How do we find _______? (the rate of change/starting point)
What does ______(slope/starting point) mean in this context?
How can we use _______? (a table/a graph/our equation)

Modifications/Differentiated Instruction:

For the students who are struggling with solving equations, I will assign some Skill Building
practice problems from our textbook as homework at the end of the first day. If any
students complete their work early and need some more extension, I will assign application
and extension problems on linear equations from the textbook. See the textbook pages for
the Skill Building and Extension below:
Evaluation

Formative Assessments

Formative assessments for the unit will include but not be limited to the following:

1. Activity journal entries: Students will document all their work for this lesson in their
math journals. I will check the notebooks and give feedback to students.
2. Whole group and small group discussions: Whole group discussions will be held during
launching and summarizing lessons on each day.
3. Peer Feedback: Students will also have a chance to give each other feedback on their
final product before they submit them and make presentations. I will ask students write
their feedback, share it with each other and submit a copy to me with their final products.
4. Warm up

Summative Assessment

Pre Assessment: I will assess the students on the following linear modeling problem of a
real life situation very similar to the problem of this lesson in the summative test that I will
give at the end of the unit.
Describe the steps you would use to solve the following problem. Show your work for these
steps as you solve the problem:
The relation between the temperature (in Fahrenheit) and altitude (in thousands of feet) is
linear. The temperature at sea level where John started hiking was 59 degrees Fahrenheit.
After he hiked to 7000 feet altitude, the temperature dropped to 34 degrees. Find the
temperature when John stopped for a break at the altitude of 4000 feet.

Post-assessment:

I will use the same assessment that I use for pre-assessment so that I can measure the
progress of my students. I will not correct the pre-assessment with my students but grade
the post-assessment and give students a chance to reflect on how their solutions changed
and why. I will use a holistic rubric to grade this assessment (see Appendix). The following
question in the pre and post assessment of this unit will be on modeling linear equations:

Closure:

At the end of the first day, I will ask students to reflect on their discussion in their groups.
They will write this reflection in their math notebooks. Students will spend the second day
working on their final product. I will let a couple of teams share their products with the
whole class at the end of the second day.

Rubric for the Temperature Conversion Lesson Post-Assessment

Problem: Describe the steps you would use to solve the following problem. Show
your work for these steps as you solve the problem:
The relation between the temperature (in Fahrenheit) and altitude (in thousands
of feet) is linear. The temperature at sea level where John started hiking was 59
degrees Fahrenheit. After he hiked to 7000 feet altitude, the temperature dropped
to 34 degrees. Find the temperature when John stopped for a break at the altitude
of 4000 feet.

4- The student demonstrates a series of logical steps to model the problem and
describes these steps in full sentences. The student constructs the linear equation
 (model) correctly using two points to find the slope and the starting point. The
student uses the equation to solve the problem and answers the question using a
complete sentence including units. The student checks the answer with the facts in
the problem.

3- The student follows a series of logical steps to model the problem but excludes the
description of one important step such as assigning a variable to represent what we
are looking for or translating the known facts to mathematical expressions. The
student uses the model to solve the problem but excludes the answer in a full
sentence including units.

2- The student attempts to follow a series of logical steps but uses an incorrect model
to solve the problem based on incorrect processes to find the slope and/or starting
point and to write the equation.

1- The student lists the given facts in the problem statement, but there is no apparent
plan or logical sequence of steps that would lead to valid modeling and conclusion.
Or
The student lists the given facts in the problem statement, but a model and/or a
solution is drawn based on a series of illogical steps.
0- The student lists completely illogical steps with completely incorrect model and
solution, or a model and/or solution is given using invalid processes.