Teach Your Friends Polynomials
Title: Teach Your Friends Polynomials
Grade Focus: 9 - 10
Subject: math
Integration Activity: Power Point
Recommended Time to Completion: 4 weeks (one class per week)
INTRODUCTION
Students will teach their peers the steps to adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and factoring polynomials. Students can work in groups to create a PowerPoint presentation that presents the steps to working with polynomials and some practice questions
PREREQUISITE EXPERIENCE:
The Students will have demonstrated competence with navigating the Internet and keyboarding skills. They will possess some basic knowledge of the use of presentation software but should review the PowerPoint videos.
TEACHER PREP TIME: 1 – 2 hours
Teachers will want to become familiar with some of the sites dealing with the topic area. It will be useful to look at the PowerPoint training videos found at Nortel LearniT ( Students should be directed to these videos prior to starting their assignment
PROJECT:
Students will create a multimedia presentation that demonstrates their understanding of the manipulation of polynomials. The goal of the PowerPoint presentation is to provide fellow students with a tutorial of sorts and some practice questions.
ASSESSMENT / GRADING:
An evaluation rubric has been provided to use in assessing the presentations.
TIME MANAGEMENT TIP: Students can be divided into groups and choose one or two areas to present to the class. For example one group might do adding and subtracting only.
Today’s lesson is polynomials. But we have a problem. The math teacher is away and the only substitute teacher available is a music teacher. Oh. Oh.
Your assignment is to prepare a set of lessons about polynomials for the sub (or for your friends who do not understand polynomials as well as you do). Since teaching something first requires that you learn it, you will need to do some research.
As you work your way through the research in the Explore section, take notes and keep a list of the sites dealing with manipulation of polynomials. Your goal is to discover:
What we mean by polynomials.
How to add, subtract, multiply, divide and factor polynomials. What are the steps involved for each?
Find some good examples of practice question that you might use in this assignment.
You will use PowerPoint to present your lessons to the class members.
You may work in groups on this assignment.
For this part of the lesson you will need acomputer with access to the Internet for your research and a word processor to record your findings. You might want to take a quick look at the explain section to direct your research to the appropriate goals.
Check out each of the following sites. Can you find some additional sites that enhance your understanding of polynomials?
Ask Dr. Math
EdHelper.com (dozens of polynomial worksheets)
Polynomials
Factoring Polynomials
Factoring Polynomials
Those unfamiliar with PowerPoint will want to check out the PowerPoint training videos from Nortel LearniT (
Prior to developing your lessons you must demonstrate your understanding of the topic. It would not be a good thing to teach your friends incorrect methods of working with polynomials.
In your own words:
Define polynomials.
List the steps and provide at least two examples for each of the following:
Adding polynomials
Subtracting polynomials
Multiplying polynomials
Dividing polynomials
And
Factoring polynomials.
Submit this to the teacher before you begin your PowerPoint presentation.
You should now understand the terms and concepts associated with polynomials and the steps required for each type of operation in the assignment well enough to develop a PowerPoint presentation to teach your friends.
Your teacher may want to divide you into groups and have each group complete a presentation for one or two operations.
Please refer to the PowerPoint videos found at before moving to the next step.
In your groups:
Script your storyboard.
Choose a layout and slide design
Assemble and input your information Be sure to double check your slides for accuracy.
Add interest to the presentation by using interesting transitions, animations or other features. Try to find and add some interesting graphics or images. Be sure to acknowledge your sources and do not use materials where permission has not been granted.
Have different members of your group proof your content run through your presentation several times.
Share your project with the class and discuss your findings.
Evaluation Rubric
Criteria / Unsatisfactory / Needs Improvement / Satisfactory / ExemplaryResearch / Limited research, from limited sources / Somewhat well researched from somewhat varied sources. / Well researched, from various sources / Thorough research from varied sources presenting different points of view
Storyboard / planning / Limited planning evident / Some planning evident / Planning evident / Thorough planning evident
Content / Lacks detail / Some detail / Good detail / Excellent detail
Technology Use to Demonstrate Understanding / Technology use with little purpose / Technology use with some purpose / Technology use with purpose / Intuitive technology use with specific purpose
Overall Final Project / Inconsistent and inappropriate aesthetics and technical functionality / Somewhat consistent and appropriate aesthetics and technical functionality / Consistent and appropriate aesthetics and technical functionality / Consistent, creative and appropriate aesthetics and technical functionality
Group evaluation: Rate the members of your group out of 10 for their performance on this task. Devise a scale that reflects your assessment criteria for the class.
Self Evaluation: What did you learn? What can you do that you could not do before completing this assignment?
Try your lessons out on some of your classmates. Begin by pre-testing them to see if they already know what you are teaching.
Perhaps other math teachers will want to see your materials.
You could submit your lessons to one of the websites dealing with polynomials.
You might want to see if any of the tutoring services in your city or town would like to purchase your lessons. Be sure to copyright them first.