Algebra 1

Predicting the future with best-fit lines

In CareerStart lessons: Grade eight, page 2.1

In this lesson plan, students use scatter plots and best-fit lines to make predictions based on data. Students also discuss how scatter plots and best-fit lines are useful in certain careers.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 Mathematics)

By Debbie Brooks, Peggy Dickey, and Jan Sullivan.

Homerun hoopla

This lesson is designed for students to gather and analyze data about baseball figures. The student will use the Internet or other resources to collect statistical data on the top five home run hitters for the current season as well as their career home run totals. The students will graph the data and determine if it is linear or non-linear.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

By Anne Walters.

Data gathering - Linear regressions

In groups of three, students gather data by experiment or observation in one of nine activities. Each group models the data they gathered, creates a display, and presents results to the class using an overhead projector.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

By Judy Pickering.

Resources on the web

Traveling Distances

Students interpret the meaning of the slope and y-intercept of the graph of real-life data. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Seeing music

In this Illuminations lesson, students calculate terms of a geometric sequence to determine frequencies of the chromatic scale. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

The Regression Line

Students investigate the relationship between a set of data points and a line used to fit the data points using a computer-based interactive graphing tool. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Reflect on your work

In this lesson, students examine, re-examine, and compare the results obtained in previous lessons to enrich their mathematical understanding. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

My Graph Is...

Students select their own real-life data to plot and interpret. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Gather data

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students explore the development of a mathematical model for the decay of light passing through water, in a rich exploration of exponential models in context. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Gallery Walk

Students view the work of other students in the class and explain their own work. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

The Effects of Outliers

Students investigate the relationship between a set of data points and a line used to fit the data points using a computer-based interactive tool, the Regression Line Applet. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Do you have a yen to go to college?

Uses a case study of college tuition to allow students to practice with exchange rates and making choices from several possible scenarios. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 Mathematics and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

The best way to see Europe

This lesson has the students perform a task that is not routinely thought of as requiring algebra skills (planning a trip) and shows them how to use algebra in their decision making processes. It uses technology tools to gather information, create graphs,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: Patricia Dube, Beverly High School, Beverly, Massachusetts

Bathtub Water Levels

Students examine real-life data that illustrates a negative slope. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Barbie bungee

In this Illuminations lesson, students model a bungee jump using a Barbie doll and rubber bands. The distance to which the doll will fall is directly proportional to the number of rubber bands, so this context is used to examine linear functions. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Automobile Mileage: Years Since 1990 vs. Mileage

This lesson provides an opportunity for the students to analyze how changing the independent variable in a set of data can result in a different least squares regression line. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Automobile Mileage: Year vs. Mileage

Students plot data about automobile mileage and interpret the meaning of the slope and y-intercept in the resulting equation for the least squares regression line. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Automobile Mileage: Comparing and Contrasting

This lesson allows students the time they need to think about and discuss what they have done in the previous lessons. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Automobile Mileage: Age vs. Mileage

Students plot data about automobile mileage and interpret the meaning of the slope and y-intercept of the least squares regression line. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics