University of Scranton

Education Department
Lesson Plan Format
Student teacher Chris Wasnetsky School Holy Cross High School
Cooperating teacher !rs" Pokoluk Date# $%&$%&'
Lesson plan title# (raphing )ational Functions Class# PreCalculus (rade# *unior
+,-ective# Students .ill ,e a,le to la,el asymptotes and sketch rational functions"
State standard met#
Se/uence of activities 0otes1 directions1 /uestions1 and procedures E2amples1 illustrations1
and resources
3egin class .ith a prayer"
4sk students for t.o
polynomials"
Write notes on ,oard for
sketching asymptotes of
rational functions"
Start ,y asking students if they recall
.hat a rational num,er is from
4lge,ra and 4lge,ra 55"
E2plain ho. rational functions are -ust
like rational num,ers e2cept that
polynomials are in place of integers"
E2plain that polynomials are a special
case of rational functions .here D627 8
&"
!ake a mention that polynomials are
defined for all real values1 ,ut rational
functions are undefined .hen D627 8 9"
:o sketch rational functions1 .e need
to find their asymptotes" :he ,ook
gives the follo.ing method#
Write f627 8 0627%D627 in reduced form"
n is highest po.er in numerator"
m is highest po.er in denominator"
a is leading coefficient in numerator"
, is leading coefficient in
denominator"
&7 f has vertical asymptotes at the
;eroes of D627"
f627 8 0627%D6271 D627 <
9"
Create an e2ample of
a rational function on
the ,oard from
student suggestions"
Use the e2ample
function to sho.
.here it is undefined"
Write notes on ,oard for
sketching rational
functions"
(o over e2amples until end
of class and assign
home.ork"
=7 a7 if n>m1 y89 is the hori;ontal
asymptote"
,7 if n8m1 y8a%, is the hori;ontal
asymptote"
c7 if n?m1 there is no hori;ontal
asymptote"
!ention tips to help memori;e rules"
f62780627%D627
&7 Simplify f if possi,le"
=7 Find and plot 2 and yintercepts
6if any7"
@7 Find ;eroes of D627 6if any7 and
sketch vertical asymptotes"
'7 Find hori;ontal asymptote 6if
any7 using rules and sketch"
$7 Plot points ,et.een and ,eyond
each 2intcept and vertical
asymptote"
A7 Sketch the curves"
Use e2ample on
,oard and f627862
=
B2
=7%62
=
2A7 as
e2amples for dra.ing
asymptotes"
E2amples#
f6278@%62=7
f627862
=
C7%62
=
=2@7
Postlesson notes or reflections#
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Cooperating teacherDs signature