Projects

**Graphing Lines** This project is designed to allow students to explore graphs of lines and develop their own conclusions about how the slope and y-intercept of a line affect the shape of the line and how those effects can be predicted using the equation of the line (y = mx + b). Students are required to explain their conclusions in detail using appropriate vocabulary.

This project is designed to allow students to explore the graphs of quadratic functions and develop their own conclusions about how the values of a, h, and k affect the shape of the parabola and how these effects can be predicted using the equation of the parabola in standard from (y - k = (x - h)²). Students are required to explain their conclusions in detail using appropriate vocabulary.
 * Quadratic Functions **

This project is designed to allow students to develop a better understanding of how the definition of a parabola applies to the shape of the graph. Students use a given focus and directrix to construct a parabola. Their parabolas are then posted around the room. Students then do a gallery walk to match a given equation in standard form to the parabolas that are posted.
 * Conic Sections **

This project is designed to allow students to develop a better understanding of the parts of an ellipse and how those parts are identified using the equation of the ellipse in standard form. Students are divided into groups of four. Each student gets a different ellipse to construct using two pushpins (to represent the foci), a pre-measured length of string, and a pencil. Students then use their constructed ellipses to identify the key elements of an ellipse.

This is a school-wide project in conjunction with Culture Week at the end of the year. Students incorporate a math concept into a float that represents their assigned country from a specific geographic region.
 * End of Year **