Danielle Cancelli

Lesson Plan

Lesson: The Coordinate Plane

Length: 50 minutes

Age or Grade Level Intended: 6th Grade

Academic Standard(s):

Algebra and Functions Standard 3

6.3.7 Identify and graph ordered pairs in the four quadrants of the coordinate plane (Core Standard)

Performance Objective(s):

The sixth graders will correctly identify and graph ordered pairs with 100% accuracy when participating in a corresponding activity.

Assessment:

Students will participate in an activity that goes along with the coordinate plane and ordered pairs. They will be assessed by participation during the lesson and activity. Students will be expected to participate with 100% accuracy.

Advance Preparation by Teacher:

Materials:

Worksheets

Individual Dry Erase Boards

Overhead

Overhead Transparency Papers

Computers

Preparation:

Before the students arrive, make sure that there are enough worksheets and dry erase boards for each student. Also make sure that the overhead transparencies are readily available. The computer lab should be reserved ahead of time for the class.

Procedure:

Introduction/Motivation:

Begin the lesson by reviewing the previous lesson about the coordinate plane and ordered pairs in the first quadrant with a daily warm up. Tell the students that they will be learning about graphs and ordered pairs. Let them know that after covering some of the information, they will be doing an activity with the coordinate plane in the computer lab.

Step-by-Step Plan:

  1. Have the students each get a dry erase board when they enter the classroom to use for the warm up.
  2. Put the warm up transparency (attached) on the overhead and have the students complete it on their dry erase boards (Bloom Level III Application) (Gardner Visual-Spatial).
  3. Once the students are finished with their warm up work, go over the answers and the steps to each problem in order to make sure that they understand the concept.
  4. Have the students take out their homework from the previous lesson. Since they all completed the homework in the class before, tell them to make sure all of the answers are checked. If they are checked tell them to put 100% at the top. If not, give them the grade for the number of problems that are incorrect. Have them pass their homework forward.
  5. Put up the overhead transparency of the coordinate plane with the four quadrants on it.
  6. Remind the students that the coordinate plane (also known as the graph) is formed from two number lines that intersect at their “zero” points. The point where they intersect is called the origin. The horizontal number line is called the x-axis. The vertical number line is called the y-axis (Bloom Level I Knowledge).
  7. Also remind the students that any point on the coordinate plane can be named using an ordered pair. The first number in the ordered pair is the x-coordinate, and the second number in the ordered pair is the y-coordinate (Bloom Level I Knowledge).
  8. Show the students that there are four different sections on the coordinate plane. Each section is called a quadrant. The previous lesson they just looked at the first quadrant, but today they will be looking at all four quadrants. Tell them that the first quadrant (the one that they looked at already) is the top right quadrant. The second quadrant is on the bottom right. The third quadrant is on the bottom left. The fourth quadrant is on the top left.
  9. Tell the students that in the first quadrant, the x-coordinates and the y-coordinates are always positive. In the second quadrant, the x-coordinates are negative and the y-coordinates are positive. In the third quadrant, the x-coordinates and y-coordinates are always negative. In the fourth quadrant, the x-quadrants are positive and the y-coordinates are negative.
  10. Graph some example coordinate pairs with the students on the overhead (Bloom Level III Application) (Gardner Logical/Mathematical) (Gardner Interpersonal).

EXAMPLES #1 (attached):

A = (5.5,4)

B = (3.25,6)

C = (4,-5)

D = (1.5,-9)

E = (-2,-2)

F = (-5,-6.5)

G = (-4.5,7)

H = (-3.24,2)

  1. Put up the Study Guide and Intervention overhead transparency with examples of coordinate pairs and the coordinate plane. Pass out a corresponding worksheet to the students so that they can follow along. Have the students help you through each problem(Bloom Level III Application) (Gardner Logical/Mathematical) (Gardner Interpersonal).

EXAMPLES #2 (attached)

  1. Take the students to the computer lab for a coordinate plan activity.
  2. When you get to the computer lab write the directions for the students on the board so that they know exactly where to go when they get onto the computers.
  • Get onto the Internet
  • Type in
  • Click “Math Games”
  • Scroll down and click “Identify Coordinates”
  1. Ask the students some questions to make sure they understand the content (Bloom Level II Comprehension).
  • What are the horizontal and vertical lines called?
  • Which quadrant is which?
  • Give an example of an ordered pair for each quadrant.
  1. Ask the students if they have any questions about coordinate planes or ordered pairs.

Closure:

At the end of class, ask the students if they have any questions or need help with understanding coordinate planes or ordered pairs. If they do need help, spend the last amount of class time working with them.

Self-Reflection:

Was I prepared for the lesson?

Were the students engaged?

What could I have done to improve the lesson?

Did the students easily understand the instructions?

Was there enough time given to complete the lesson?

Did the students learn from the lesson?

Do the students understand the characteristics of a coordinate plane?

Do the students understand how to name and graph an ordered pair?