Terminal Objective: Given a classroom computer and a job aid which includes a list of websites pertaining to conic sections, the student will be able to identify objects whose design and function are based on the four conic figures: circles, ellipses, hyperbolas and parabolas.
70 minutes (Spent over two class periods)
Teaching Strategy based on Gagne's Nine Events:
Gain Attention (5 minutes)
Show students manipulatives that represent the four conic sections. These objects could be: a Hula Hoop, a pencil, a flashlight and a clear cup full of water. The instructor would then ask the class what they believe all of these items have in common.
Inform the Learner of the Objective (1 minute)
Inform the students that they will be conducting a web search to discover applications of conic sections.
Stimulate Recall of Prior Knowledge (4 minutes)
Remind students of the algebraic and graphic forms of the conics.
Present the Material (8 minutes)
Inform the students that conics represent much more than a graphical representation of a circle or a parabola. Instructor will then demonstrate how to discover conic applications by using the job aid containing related websites, an internet-connected computer and a projector.
Provide Guidance for Learning (40 minutes)
Split the class into four expert groups, each representing a one of the four conic sections. Each person in the group will receive a job aid providing URLs and a “Scavenger Hunt” sheet that they must complete for the remainder of the class period. Students may work individually or in pairs. After the majority of the class has completed the scavenger hunt, re-group students in teams of four so that each person in the group represents a different expert group. Once the new groups are formed, have each person fill in all four scavenger-hunt forms using their group members as a resource. (Activity 5A)
As the students are working, encourage the students to write down additional applications that were not addressed on the scavenger hunt sheet.
As students are completing the search, the instructor will circulate the work area aid students with technical difficulties or finding particular answers.
Assess Performance (5 minutes)
At the end of the activity, the instructor will call on students to read off their responses to the scavenger hunt. Once all of the answers have been shared, the instructor will pass out a fill-in-the-blank assessment for the students to complete as a group, without the aid of the scavenger hunt sheets. (Assessment 5A)
Enhance Retention and Transfer (5 minutes)
Have students read off applications they found that were not listed on the scavenger hunt list. (Activity 5B)
All of the supplementary materials listed below can be downloaded by clicking on the picture or by downloading the Instructor Guide