Flipbook Project Lesson Plan

Introduction: The Flipbook project is an individual activity that stresses problem solving and critical thinking as applied to graphing linear equations.

Timing: This activity requires 90 minutes of class time to complete. Break it up over two, maybe three periods. Some of the project can be assigned for homework. Getting the math component done in class will allow students to focus on the creative component at home and will reduce the chance that students will get too far off base with the mathematical side of the project.

Group Size: Individual

Learning Objectives: The objective of this activity is to:

a) Review linear equations, x and y-intercepts, ordered pairs, and the slope-intercept form of linear equations

b) Develop problem solving and critical thinking skills

c) Integrate a creative component into a traditional math lesson

Guiding Questions: How can various types of linear equations be incorporated into a flipbook?

Materials: Markers, scissors, a heavy-duty stapler, colored masking tape (incase the stapes won’t hold), and other random art supplies. Photocopy enough activity sheets for each student. Using colored card stock, copy or print enough of the flipbook sheets so each student will have 21 flipbook pages. They only need 20, the 21^st is just in case one of theirs is lost or a mistake is made.

Procedures:

Read through the opening sections as a class. This is an individual activity, so students may have varying levels of competence with linear equations and graphing and may need different amounts of support. Students should feel pretty comfortable with horizontal and vertical line, but may struggle with the diagonal ones.

Students must create a 20-page flipbook that includes a linear equation on each of them. As soon as students are given their flipbook sheets, have them number the back of each page from 1-20. Each linear equation must be different for each page of the flipbook. Students may choose to have one line moving slightly from page to page, like focusing on the stem of a flower that is dying and being reborn. Other students may have different lines on each page from different parts of the background of a drawing, like the horizontal and vertical lines background buildings would make in each drawing. Students need to equally use horizontal, vertical and positive and negative diagonal lines. The horizontal and vertical should be very easy for them by now, but getting diagonal lines with reasonable intercepts and slope, will take some skill. I would have students focus on making sure all their diagonal lines cross the x and y-axes at whole numbers and lie within the drawing. Make sure students record the actual equation, the slope, the x and y-intercepts, and four ordered pairs in the table provided. The teacher should double check the first few diagonal lines. These are typically where students go astray.

Their design will also be assessed for creativity and neatness. The art aspect of this project is pretty wide open. Their linear equations just need to be visible in some way on each flipbook page. It doesn’t have to completely stand out, but the teacher should be able to find them without much difficulty. Students should roughly sketch their design and then focus on creating functional linear equations afterwards.

Make sure student understand the use of the rubric and know that they must score themselves before the project is turned it. The extra point is given with the idea that if anyone matches my score, they must of used the rubric properly. The same goes for taking the point. If they over-scored themselves by four points, they probably did not follow the rubric.

Assessment: Student’s Flipbook project should be graded based on the rubric included in the activity sheet

Answer Key: Each student’s Flipbook project will be different, so an answer key would be of no use.