Productive Struggle - A Pre-Spring Break Challenge of Exponential Functions

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Objective

Students will have an opportunity to demonstrate new knowledge through a group presentation at the end of class. They will use appropriate mathematical vocabulary to communicate their findings to the class.

Big Idea

This lesson (taking place on the day before spring break) is designed to keep the students engaged – rather than mentally hitting the beach early!

Lesson Author

Jarod Hammel

Huntington, IN

Grade Level

Eleventh grade

Subjects

Math

Algebra

Standards

HSN-RN.A.1

Explain how the definition of the meaning of rational exponents follows from extending the properties of integer exponents to those values, allowing for a notation for radicals in terms of rational exponents. For example, we define 51/3 to be the cube root of 5 because we want (51/3)3 = 5(1/3)3 to hold, so (51/3)3 must equal 5.

HSN-RN.A.2

Rewrite expressions involving radicals and rational exponents using the properties of exponents.

HSA-SSE.B.3

Choose and produce an equivalent form of an expression to reveal and explain properties of the quantity represented by the expression.*

MP4

Model with mathematics.

MP7

Look for and make use of structure.

Opening Events

5 minutes

Lesson Middle

20 minutes

Wrapping Up

20 minutes

It is a sincere joy seeing the students present their findings to the class! Although the presentations are relatively informal, it is a great and productive way to harness the students spring-break energy into mathematical productivity and problem solving. In fact, I can’t think of a better way to head into spring break! I certainly do not do this all of the time, but any student who was an active participant and group member during the day’s investigation earned points for the activity.

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