Ms. Mayhill's Slope WebQuest

Introduction

In a few years you will be turning 16 and will be getting your learners permit to drive. Your parents/guardians, being the fantastic people they are, have graciously agreed to GIVE you a car...BUT... It it hasn't run in who knows how long and looks awful. You and your friends cannot be seen in this car!!  What will you do?  It looks like you might have to get a job, perhaps at McDonalds, or ask your family for some extra money. Unfortunately, your parents/guardians do not think you understand the value of a dollar and how much a car is going to cost. PROVE THEM WRONG!!  "How will you do that?" you ask.  You and your friends are going to research the cost of a car and how much it depreciates over time. This information will help you better understand that task you have undertaken.

Task

With your assigned partner, you will choose a car and evaluate its cost. You and your partner will find the initial cost of the car and also the cost of the car if it was purchased one to five years old. After viewing several websites pertaining to slope and recording important information about slope including:

Definitions 

Important Vocabulary

The equations needed to find the slope and to graph a line

Both you and your partner will need to make a post on your blog of what was your daily activity(notes, videos, etc.  What did you learn?) for the WebQuest.  You will both also be responsible for creating a foldable pertaining to finding the slope of a line. Along with viewing the informational websites, you will be required to watch a film clip from Teachertube and Youtube. Both you and your partner will be required to write a short response about these videos on your blog. Finally, you and your partner will work together to make and present a poster board to present to your parents and fellow classmates about the type of car you choose to buy and how much it depreciated over time.

Process

Day 11. First, you will get your assigned partner to work with.2. Discuss with your partner what you think slope is and how you think you would find it3. On your Blog, please enter a post on what car you think you and your partner want to choose and why you think you would want that car(it looks nice, it's fast, it is a good bargain, etc).4. On your Blog, enter a post that contains what you and your partner THINK slope is and how you THINK you would find it.  Also include how you THINK it would be used in real life.5. Explore this http://www.algebra-class.com/slope-formula.html which lists the different formulas for finding slope.6. Create another blog entry to include each formula for finding slope and a list of important terms.  Day 21. Look at these two sites: http://www.algebra-class.com/calculating-slope.html and http://www.algebra-class.com/graphing-slope.html. The first site will explain how to calculate slope from a graph of a line and the second will explain how to graph the equation of a line using a given slope. Hint:  Watch the videos!!2. Write down any important information or steps needed to calculate and graph slope.Here are some additonal sites you can visit for help: http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/slope.html and http://www.purplemath.com/modules/slopgrph.html.  3.  Create your entry for your blog on what you learned today. Day 31.With your partner look at this https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra-basics/core-algebra-graphing-lines-slope/core-algebra-graphing-slope-intercept/v/graphing-a-line-in-slope-intercept-form about slope intercept form. 2.  Watch the following video on the different types of slope:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avS6C6_kvXM3. Create a new blog entry with the information you learned including examples of positive, negative, undefined, and zero slope.  Also include definitions or descriptions of what the m and b stand for and how you find it.4.  If you have time see how far you can get in Algebra vs. Cockroach :  http://hotmath.com/hotmath_help/games/kp/kp_hotmath_sound.swf  Be sure to notice how the equation relates to your entries for slope and y-intercept on successful hits.Day 41. Complete a foldable including each of the formulas that can be used to find the slope of a line. Day 51. Next watch this video about slope from Teacher Tube:  http://www.teachertube.com/video/slope-intercept-rap-101097.2. Finally watch this video from You Tube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj-9Zc9yKYU3. Individually, you are to write a response about the videos you viewed on slope. Include what you learned from the videos, which one you enjoyed the most, and how this will help you in the future.Day 61. With your partner, choose a car. This must be a 2014 model car that has been manufactured since at least 2006 so that you can obtain several data points.2. You will find the value of your brand new car by using Kelley Blue Book.3. Next find the value of the car if it was bought used from one to five years old on Kelley Blue Book.  You may want to think about recording this information in a table (Hint Hint!!)4. You will use this information to create a graph that will go on your poster board. Day 7 and Day 81. Start on your poster board.2. Your poster board should include a title, your graph, the slope of your line, and the equation of your line.3. Also, it should include a picture of your car and a description of why you would buy this car and if you would rather buy it new or used. Day 9 and Day 101. You and your partner will present your findings and show the class the poster board you created. Your presentation should be about two to five minutes long.  2.  Create your final blog post on the most important things you learned during this WebQuest and what you thought of this WebQuest

Evaluation
This webquest is worth 60 points. The points are divided into three different sections. The first 20 points will come from completing the foldable, blog entries which includesvnotes based off of the information gathered from the websites, and written response to the videos. The next 20 points will come from the graph that you and your partner are to include on your poster board. The final 20 points will be based off your poster board.    Here is the rubric for your worksheet, foldable, video response, and notebook. 
CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Working with Others Student was an engaged partner, listening to suggestions of others and working cooperatively throughout lesson. Student was an engaged partner but had trouble listening to others and/or working cooperatively. Student cooperated with others, but needed prompting to stay on-task. Student did not work effectively with others.
Completion of the Foldable All problems are completed. All but one of the problems are completed. All but two of the problems are completed. Several of the problems are not completed.
Neatness and Organization of the Blog The work is presented in a neat, clear, organized fashion that is easy to read. The work is presented in a neat and organized fashion that is usually easy to read. The work is presented in an organized fashion but may be hard to read at times. The work appears sloppy and unorganized. It is hard to know what information goes together.
Explanation of response to the videos   Explanation is detailed and clear. Explanation is clear. Explanation is a little difficult to understand, but includes critical components. Explanation is difficult to understand and is missing several components OR was not included

 Here is the rubric for your graph which is going to be included on your poster board. 

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Title Title is creative and clearly relates to the problem being graphed (includes dependent and independent variable). It is printed at the top of the graph. Title clearly relates to the problem being graphed (includes dependent and independent variable) and is printed at the top of the graph. A title is present at the top of the graph. A title is not present.
Labeling of X axis The X axis has a clear, neat label that describes the units used for the independent variable (e.g, days, months, participants\' names). The X axis has a clear label that describes the units used for the independent variable. The X axis has a label. The X axis is not labeled.
Labeling of Y axis The Y axis has a clear, neat label that describes the units and the dependent variable (e.g, % of dogfood eaten; degree of satisfaction). The Y axis has a clear label that describes the units and the dependent variable (e.g, % of dogfood eaten; degree of satisfaction). The Y axis has a label. The Y axis is not labeled.
Accuracy of Plot All points are plotted correctly and are easy to see. A ruler is used to neatly connect the points or make the bars, if not using a computerized graphing program. All points are plotted correctly and are easy to see. All points are plotted correctly. Points are not plotted correctly OR extra points were included.
Neatness and Attractiveness Exceptionally well designed, neat, and attractive. Colors that go well together are used to make the graph more readable. A ruler and graph paper (or graphing computer program) are used. Neat and relatively attractive. A ruler and graph paper (or graphing computer program) are used to make the graph more readable. Lines are neatly drawn but the graph appears quite plain. Appears messy and \"thrown together\" in a hurry. Lines are visibly crooked.

 Here is the rubric for your poster board that is to completed with a partner. 

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Title Title can be read from 6 ft. away and is quite creative. Title can be read from 6 ft. away and describes content well. Title can be read from 4 ft. away and describes the content well. The title is too small and/or does not describe the content of the poster well.
Required Elements The poster includes all required elements as well as additional information. All required elements are included on the poster. All but 1 of the required elements are included on the poster. Several required elements were missing.
Attractiveness The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness. The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness. The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy. The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive.
Grammar There are no grammatical mistakes on the poster. There is 1 grammatical mistake on the poster. There are 2 grammatical mistakes on the poster. There are more than 2 grammatical mistakes on the poster.
Knowledge Gained Student can accurately answer all questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster. Student can accurately answer most questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster. Student can accurately answer about 75% of questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster. Student appears to have insufficient knowledge about the facts or processes used in the poster.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing the webquest! Not only did you learn about slope but hopefully you are able to convince your parents your ready to buy your dream car. Good luck in the future and I look forward to seeing you on the road! That is if you past you driving test! :)  

Credits

Slope TutorialThis website shows how to find slope and the different types of slope including negative, positive, undefined, and 0. This website includes review problems with answers at the end of the tutorial. Math is FunThis website defines slope as rise over run. It gives examples of how to determine the slope of a line on a graph. Also, it shows how slope can be defined as the change in y over the change in x. Algebra-ClassThis website is full of description and examples of slope, slope intercept form, linear equations, and how to graph a line. PurplemathThis website describes how to use the slope and y-intercept to graph the line. Kelley Blue BookThis website can be used to find the price of a brand new car. TeacherTubeThis song is about slope. YouTube VideoThis is a video about slope.

Teacher Page

This WebQuest is geared towards 8th graders.  It will take about two weeks to explore slope and to have the students present their poster boards to the class.  There are additional websites and resources that can be used on the resources page.  Students should have knowledge about coordinate graphs and plotting points on a line.  They should also be skilled in equations involving variables.

Florida State Standards

8th Grade Pre-Algebra

MAFS.8.EE.2.5 Graph proportional relationships, interpreting the unit rate as the slope of the graph.  

MAFS.8.EE.2.6 Use similar triangles to expleain why slop m is the same between any two distinct points on a non-vertical line in the coordinate plane; derivve the equation y = mx for a line through the origin and the equation y = mx + b for a line intercepting the vertical axis at b.

MAFS.8.F.1.1 Understand that a function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly on output.  The graph of a function is the set of ordered pairs consisting of an input and the corresponding output.

MAFS.8.F.1.3 Interpret the equation y = mx + b as defining a linear function, whose graph is a straight line.

MAFS.8.F.2.4 Construct a function model of a linear relationship between two quantities.

Objectives:

1.  Students will define slope.

2.  Students will learn three different formulas for determining slope.

3.  Students will graph a line on a coordinate plane.

4.  Students will calculate the slope of the graphed line.

5.  Students will work with a partner to create a blog and a poster board of their knowledge.

6.  Students will complete a foldable, writing assignment and take appropriate notes pertaining to slope.

7.  Students will learn the value of a dollar and about depreciation when buying a car.