Algebra II Lesson Plan for the Classroom: Line or Curve of Best Fit

April 28th, 2007 9th-10th Grade 25 students 1 IEP student 2 GSSP students Algebra II Correlation 55 minutes
Line or Curve of Best Fit
Lesson #6: Correlation and Best-Fitting Lines
Context
This is what the students have been building towards since the beginning of the unit began. Students will have to recall the formulas that they learned in previous lessons and they will need a very good understanding of the parts of a graph.
Objectives
1. Students will know how to use scatter plots to identify the correlation of data.
2. Students will know how to approximate a best-fitting line or curve for a set of data.
Connections
MA-HS-4.2.3
Students will:
• identify an appropriate curve of best fit (linear, quadratic, exponential) for a set of two-variable data;
• determine a line of best fit equation for a set of linear two-variable data and
• apply a line of best fit to make predictions within and beyond a given set of two-variable data.
Assessment Plan
Objective Number Type of Assessment Description of Assessment Depth of Knowledge Level Adaptations and/or Accommodations
1. Interview After explaining scatter plots, I will draw some scatter plots on the board and ask different students what they can tell me about the data by looking at the scatter plots. I will also ask a few students for an example of sets of data that would likely have a positive or negative correlation. DOK II I will definitely try and ask a couple of questions from the students that have been struggling in this unit to see if I can guide them to the right answer by doing some further explanation on scatter plots.
2. Worksheet The students will complete a worksheet that will include drawing best-fitting lines and calculating the equation in slope-intercept form. The students must also be able to solve word problems and make predictions using the best-fit method. DOK III I will be walking around the classroom making myself available to anyone who is having any trouble.
Resources, Media and Technology
-Graph Paper
Procedures
I would start class by giving some basic examples of data that has forms some type of correlation. I would use an example of two pieces of data that is very relatable and easy to understand for the students(ex: the older you get your height increases). Then I would give some more examples from the book and show students how to construct a scatter plot and what the scatter plot will tell you when it is completed. Then I will go around the room asking questions for the students to answer about scatter plots. Also, I will try and get a few students to see if they can come up with two sets of data that could have either a positive, negative, or no correlation with one another. I will try and ask questions from as many students as possible, especially keeping an eye out for those students who normally struggle in this class. I then will describe the process of finding the best-fitting line of a graph. The students will know how to do most of the steps already because of previous lessons talking about the same formulas. I will do some examples out of the book and at the end of class I will do one of the word problems from the worksheet on the board for the students to see. I will do another word problem from the book if time permits. The students will work on their worksheet for the rest of the class, if there is any time left.