Performance Task: Pulling It Together with Quadratics
Objective: SWBAT compare different representations of quadratic functions to derive meaning and better understand real-life contexts. SWBAT provide evidence to back up their claims in a clear and cohesive manner.
Big Idea: Students integrate concepts learned about quadratic equations and functions to analyze models and make recommendations for maximizing profit on the sale of smart phones.
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During the next hour or so of class students, I will have my students work independently on the Quadratics Performance Task. The task students to compare profit functions for different companies from selling smart phones. The task is designed for students to apply the ideas taught in this unit.
While students are working, I am making rounds, providing cues to students as needed - I try to let most student struggle a bit before providing a cue to help them initiate. This gets at the math practice standard MP.1 as I want students to persevere in problem solving and be able to pause and reflect on what types of strategies and skills they need to navigate a problem.
I also provide some external executive function support for students in terms of time management. After the first 20-minute chunk of the activity I cue students it would be reasonable for them to be done with the first company, and again for each of the next two 20-minute chunks. This helps students pace themselves and also provides some motivation to stay on task.
To conclude the class, I provide students with an Idea Organizer as a means to organize thier thinking for page 4 of the task (comparing and contrasting the different companies and making decisions about different profit trends). I assign students the homework as writing up the Idea Organizer into a cohesive multi-paragraph response. I chose to make a performance task that values math knowledge and the ability to write because I feel strongly that written expression is a powerful tool to help students better communicate their thinking AND helps them mediate thier thought process and understanding of mathematics.
