Chapter Five Unit Plan Reflection:

This unit covered the evaluation of exponential, inverse, and logarithmic

functions. The highlight of the week was kicking off the unit with a group activity. It

sparked the student’s interest in the subject matter and allowed them to use technology (a

motion sensor) to derive and graph their own exponential functions. The group activity

also helped build a strong foundation of exponential knowledge before getting into

logarithms.

Upon discussion with my co-teacher, I found that students can hit a wall when

they start learning about logarithms. Student reasons for this can vary from not

understanding why logarithms are necessary, to an uncomfortable feeling of working

with logarithms because they have never seen them before. To try and deflect some of

this uncertainty, my goal was to get students to understand a simple purpose for the

existence of logarithms which I stated every day: Logarithms exist to solve exponential

variables. If you have the equation: 42 = 7^x and are asked to solve for x, a knowledge

of logarithmic properties can make a world of difference. I felt that once students

understood the purpose of logarithms, the initial learning resistance I was getting began

to lift away.

In the future, I would like to incorporate more group activities into my lesson

plans involving logarithms. I found this to be challenging because of the sheer amount of

information students need to use in solving a plethora of logarithmic functions. Upon

further reflection, I think that I will utilize group work after students have learned the

basics of logs and begin to try and master the topic through story problems involving, for

example, exponential decay of elements or growth of bacteria through time. This could
also help to involve interdisciplinary studies. If students are learning about modeling

exponential decay of an isotope, they could also learn about a science topic by giving the

definition of half-life. I’m excited about the prospect of implementing this material into

future lessons. Overall, I’m satisfied that most students have a base understanding of

logs, and that’s what matters.