You sank my battleship

Students will learn how to plot ordered pairs using the coordinate plane and determine in which quadrant these ordered pairs lie. Students will show mastery of plotting ordered pairs by playing Battleship. Modifications have been added for Intermediate Low English Language Learners.

A lesson plan for grades 3–5 and 9–12 English Language Development and Mathematics

By Theadore Taylor and Justine Busto

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• Learn more about English language learners, coordinate plane, geometry, mathematics, and ordered pairs.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the critical vocabulary listed below.
• demonstrate an ability to plot ordered pairs.
• demonstrate both verbal and visual recognition of ordered pairs in a coordinate plane.
• (for upper grades review option) Students will review and demonstrate ability to write a linear equation from points in the coordinate plane.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 day

Materials/resources

• Numbered graph paper for each student
• Ruler for each student
• Overhead projector
• Transparency of numbered graph paper
• Colored markers (your choice)
• Pencils (no pens)

Technology resources

Overhead projector

Pre-activities

Activate students’ prior knowledge with a discussion of critical vocabulary based on students’ background knowledge. For example, explain the difference between the meanings of “plane” and “plain.” Discuss the relation of the word “horizontal” and the word “horizon.” For English Language Learners, having pictures to illustrate these concepts on the board would increase comprehension. Students should respond verbally to teacher’s questions about critical vocabulary. Students can also demonstrate comprehension by finding examples in the classroom to illustrate critical vocabulary, such as the ceiling tiles being examples of perpendicular lines. Ask students to explain how the examples relate to the vocabulary word.

Activities

1. Teacher draws on the board a horizontal number line and vertical number line that are perpendicular to each other at a point (Use only the first quadrant for lower grades). Indicate to the students this intersection point has a special name called the “origin.”
2. Ask students which line is horizontal and which is vertical.
3. Introduce the x-axis as the horizontal axis and the y-axis as the vertical axis.
4. Introduce the idea of what a quadrant is to the students by marking them in different colored markers on the coordinate plane. (Note: The quadrants start in the upper right corner (Quadrant I) and go counter-clockwise to the bottom right corner (Quadrant IV)). For lower grades, the teacher can omit this discussion or merely name the first quadrant for students, hinting that there are more quadrants to learn about later. For upper grades or in a classroom without English language learners, some of this introduction may not be necessary.
5. Hand out the numbered graph paper to each student and ask them to label the following: x-axis, y-axis, origin, and the quadrants.
6. Model how to plot an ordered pair using the x-axis and y-axis on the overhead numbered graph transparency. Students should understand that they will move right or left with the x-axis first and then up or down with the y-axis.
7. For kinesthetic and visual learners, introduce the game Battleship and how it applies to plotting ordered pairs. Instructions for Battleship to follow. Bring in a plastic toy battleship or print the attached picture of a battleship in the attached “View Battleship” at the end of this document. Talk about how ships at sea can be located using coordinates, similar to how we are plotting points on a coordinate plane.
8. Use the overhead graph paper transparency to model how to draw a simple battleship on the coordinate plane. Have students verbally respond to identify the quadrant where the battleship is located. Then have students verbally respond to identify which ordered pairs represent the battleship on the coordinate plane.
9. At this point, check for understanding of quadrants, plotting points, and labeling of the coordinate plane by having a volunteer come up and draw another battleship on the overhead graph paper transparency. Have classmates write down the quadrant where the battleship lies and the ordered pairs that represent the battleship’s position on the coordinate plane (students will write ordered pairs only, in the first quadrant, for lower grades). Teacher circulates among students to check student comprehension.
10. Explain to students the rules of Battleship.
    • Two teams with an equal number of students (if possible).
    • Each team will receive one sheet numbered graph paper on which to draw their battleships.
    • Each team will draw five battleships. Each battleship must contain four ordered pairs on the numbered graph paper (reduce the number of battleships and/or the number of ordered pairs for classes that are working in the first quadrant only).
    • Teacher collects the graph paper with battleships from each team.
    • Teams take turns calling out ordered pairs to try to sink other team’s battleships. (Teacher can indicate if the shot is a hit or a miss.)
    • The first team to sink all opposing battleships is declared the winner.
    • For an upper grades review of linear equations, the teacher might want to add in this rule: once a battleship has been hit by two or more ordered pairs, the opposing team can sink the battleship in one more shot by calling out the equation of the line that contains the battleship.
11. Teacher should circulate during game to see if all students are participating by keeping an accurate record of the ordered pairs on their individual pieces of graph paper.

Assessment

• Oral and visual assessment of students’ ability to properly label the coordinate plane using essential vocabulary.
• Teacher assessment through student participation during modeling, activities and playing the game. Teacher may want to use the attached Graphing: Grading Rubric to check students’ numbered graph paper after the game. The rubric can be posted on the wall for students to understand how they will be graded. (This rubric may be advanced for the lower grades, but the teacher can make adjustments if s/he wants to use the rubric: for example, have them follow it, then score the higher levels as bonus.) Students will turn in their graph papers with the ordered pairs of the other team’s battleships neatly and completely plotted.
• Completion of student’s picture dictionary. See attached rubric Making a Poster Picture Dictionary at the end of this document.

Supplemental information

Attachments:

• Graphing Rubric
• Making a Poster Picture Dictionary
• Battleship

Modifications

Use Oxford Picture Dictionary (or similar dictionary) to reinforce essential vocabulary.

Model for students how to create their own picture dictionary or poster with illustrations of essential vocabulary. Each student is assigned the 11 essential vocabulary words. They must write each word and draw a picture that accurately illustrates each word. This could either be kept in their notebook or made into a poster for the wall. See attached Making a Poster Picture Dictionary Rubric.

Alternative assessments

The regular assessments should be appropriate for most English Language Learners. Novice English Language Learners could also be assessed with a one-on-one teacher/student check of their ability to identify quadrants, x and y axes, and ordered pairs. ELLs would be asked to point or respond to yes/no questions like “Is this the X axis?”

Critical vocabulary

Not all of these terms may be appropriate for lower grades:

• Number line
• Coordinate
• Plane grid
• Perpendicular
• Origin
• Vertical
• Horizontal
• Axis
• Axes
• Ordered pairs
• Quadrant
• Plot

Comments

The Poster/Picture Dictionary illustrating critical vocabulary should be an ongoing project for the class. English Language Learners and all students can benefit from having a self-made picture dictionary of math terminology covered in the course.

This lesson plan was developed during the English Language Development Standard Course of Study lesson planning institutes hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and LEARN NC, June and July, 2004. It includes specific strategies, instructional modifications, and alternative assessments which make this lesson accessible to limited English proficient students. Please note that this lesson has been aligned with the goals and objectives of the N.C. English Language Development standards.