Key Assessment Parabola Lesson Plan Revised
Key Assessment Parabola Lesson Plan Revised
Key Assessment Parabola Lesson Plan Revised
Lesson Number
Section Number Conic Sections - Parabolas
Section Title
Standard(s) 1. NCTM C2: Understand how mathematical ideas interconnect and
build on one another to produce a coherent whole.
2. NCTM R1: Create and use representations to organize, record, and
communicate mathematical ideas.
3. Common Core HSF-BF.A.1: Build a function that models a
relationship between two quantities.
Central Focus While students are familiar with a parabola as a representation of a
quadratic function, now we are looking at parabolas as a conic
section, and discovering properties of parabolas.
2
CU, PF, MR, PS -Do first activity on handout,
constructing a parabola on a
graph as the set of all points
equidistant from a fixed point and
a fixed line. Draw this on board,
having them do this on paper.
Give them only a few points as
examples, and have them find the
rest.
-“The shortest distance from the
parabola to the directrix is always
a perpendicular line to the
directrix.”
Activity 5: -Define parts of the parabola by -Record these instructions as
(time) writing out the definitions on the notes, paying special attention
board (parabola, focus, to the equation of a parabola.
Relevant directrix, vertex) -Suggest what parts of the graph
Objective(s): -Label parts of graph per student match the definitions
CU, PF, MR, PS suggestions -Help construct the standard
-Find standard form of equation form of equation of a parabola
of a parabola, (x – h)2 = 4p(y – k),
with vertex (h, k).
-Explain what |p| is.
Activity 6: -Do first half of example 1: Sketch Suggest steps for solution.
(time) the graph of x2=8y and label Record example, steps, and
vertex. result.
Relevant “What’s the first thing we do?”
Objective(s): Solve: put in form (x – 0)2 = 4(2)(y
CU, PF, MR, PS – 0)
Activity 7: -Explain what |p| is Record as notes.
(time) -Present method of finding vertex,
focus, and directrix
Relevant -“A parabola always opens
Objective(s): towards the focus and away from
CU, PF, MR, PS the directrix.”
Activity 8: -Do second half of example 1, Suggest steps for solution.
(time) finding the focus and directrix of Record steps and result.
x2=8y
Relevant -Show that 8=4p, so p=2, so first
Objective(s): points of focus & directrix are |2|
CU, PF, MR, PS units from vertex of parabola.
Activity 8.5: Ask why questions. Students will answer questions,
(time) “Why do we call this the focus?” and ask their own questions.
“Why do we call it |p|?”
3
Relevant “Why are there || signs on either
Objective(s): side of p?”
CU, MR
Activity 9: -Draw a sideways parabola on a Students will suggest what steps
graph. Pose the question, “If we we can take and find the rule.
want a parabola that looks like
this, how do we change the
equation?” Have a discussion
about this.
Solution: switch equation from
y=x2 to x=y2.
Activity 10: Do example 2, sketching and Students will tell me what steps
(time) labeling vertex, focus, & directrix to do to find the result.
of the parabola y2= -2x.
Relevant -And 4p=-2, so p=-1/2, so first
Objective(s): points of focus & directrix are
CU, PF, MR, PS |1/2| units from vertex of
parabola.
-Discuss sideways parabolas as
we do this problem.
Activity 11: -Example 3, graph the parabola y Students will discover and
(time) = (-1/8)(x+3)2+2. suggest the first step, then solve
To solve, rewrite in form (x – h)2 = the rest like the last example, by
Relevant 4p(y – k). Etc. telling me what steps to do to
Objective(s): find the result.
PS -If students are having a hard
CU, PF, MR, PS time figuring out the first step,
they will talk for 1 minute at
their tables to determine it.
Activity 12: Hand out quick quiz to students. Take quick quiz, grade a peer’s
(time) No more than 5 minutes for quiz. quiz, and ask questions about
Relevant No name on them. Once finished, the material.
Objective(s): students pass around and grade
CU, PF, MR someone’s, then receive questions
about material.
4
Re-read the goals/objectives from
the day.
Activities/Assessments that
address
Conceptual
Understanding
Procedural
Fluency
Mathematical
Reasoning
and/or Problem
Solving
Lesson Reflection
Self Reflection: How did the lesson go? What things went well? What things did
not go as well as they could have? What things might you change if you were to
teach the lesson again next hour? What things might you change if you were to
teach this lesson again next year?
5
Did your students meet your objectives for the lesson? How do you know?