Introduction to quadratic functions

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Objective

SWBAT understand the basics of a quadratic function.

Big Idea

Basketball shots and parabolas - quadratic functions! Hook students into quadratic functions with this introductory lesson.

Lesson Author

Jeff Li MTP

New York, NY

Grade Level

Eighth grade

Subjects

Math

quadratic functions

Algebra

Standards

HSF-IF.C.7a

Graph linear and quadratic functions and show intercepts, maxima, and minima.

MP2

Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

MP6

Attend to precision.

MP7

Look for and make use of structure.

Warm-up

10 minutes

Each day, students complete a Warmup that usually consists of spiraling the previous day's material, in addition to older material. Warm-up problems also sometimes extend lessons that students have encountered before to more unfamiliar contexts.

I often use a "mixtape" approach that pushes the kids to see/review multiple types of problems - the cumulative effect of which can be really powerful.