Running Head: INTERDISCIPLANARY LESSON PLAN

INTERDISCIPLANARY LESSON PLAN

Kerianne Canetti
Daytona State College

Authors Note
This paper was prepared November 20, 2016 for EME 3434 Integrating Technology into
Mathematics and Science taught by Dr. Amy Ringue.

INTERDISCIPLANARY LESSON PLAN

ABSTRACT
The following paper outlines an interdisciplinary lesson plan that shows students the
interconnectivity of mathematics and physics, using a broad scope of technology. In the lesson,
students will collect and analyze real-life data. The idea for the lesson and its components have
been taken from a lesson plan she got at a Texas Instruments workshop over the past summer
(Model a Walk, 2014).
Key words: technology, mathematics, physics, high school

INTERDISCIPLANARY LESSON PLAN

Interdisciplinary Lesson Plan

Straight-Line Motion
Lesson Preface
The following lab is intended for a high school Algebra 1 classroom and will show
students the interconnectivity of mathematics and physics. Students will discover the basics of
straight-line motion by performing an experiment and analyzing the data in class. Through this
lesson, students will gain hands-on experience with new technologies and practice collecting and
analyzing real-life data. The basis of this lesson comes from a lesson plan called Model a Walk
(Model a Walk, 2014) that the pre-service teacher received at a Texas Instruments workshop over
the summer. The majority of this lesson revolves student-driven learning in a lab environment.
Students will work in pairs with a lab packet to collect data to graph and analyze on their
calculators. This lesson is the first in what would be an entire unit on modeling with equations.

Standards
MAFS.912.F-LE.1.1 Distinguish between situations that can be modeled with linear
functions and with exponential functions.
a. Prove that linear functions grow by equal differences over equal intervals, and
that exponential functions grow by equal factors over equal intervals.
b. Recognize situations in which one quantity changes at a constant rate per unit
interval relative to another.
c. Recognize situations in which a quantity grows or decays by a constant percent
rate unit interval relative to another.
MAFS.912.F-LE.2.5 Interpret the parameters in a linear or exponential function in
terms of a context.

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SC.912.P.12.2 Analyze the motion of an object in terms of its position, velocity, and
acceleration (with respect to a frame of reference) as functions of time.
Learning Outcomes
Students will

Collect motion data by using a motion sensor

Find the slope and y-intercept of linear data to create an equation that describes the
relationship between position and time for the motion of the student holding the CBR

2 motion sensor
Explain the relationship between a position-time graph and the physical motion used

to create it
Model with mathematics
Use tools strategically
Reason abstractly and quantitatively
Analyze and interpret data using models and regression

Technology

TI-Nspire CX or TI-Nspire CAS handheld calculator

Vernier DataQuest Application for TI-Nspire
TI-Nspire Navigator System
CBR 2 motion sensor and USB connection cable
Unit-to-unit link cables

Lesson Duration: Two days One for the lab, one day for lesson wrap-up and assessment

Lab Outline
Step 1: Make a prediction of what you think a graph of position versus time would look
like when an object moves at a constant rate towards a fixes object.

INTERDISCIPLANARY LESSON PLAN

Step 2: Open a new document on the TI-Nspire and connect the motion sensor to the
calculator via USB cable. (A Vernier DataQuest page will open automatically and the
CBR 2 will begin measuring the position of the closest object)

Step 3: Beginning 3-4 meters from a flat section of a wall, one partner will hold the
motion sensor and walk towards the wall (The motion sensor will measure the position
from the person to the wall as a function of time). The other partner will operate the
calculator.

Step 4: Once the walker starts moving, the other partner should click the green Start
button on the calculator, beginning the recording. The walker should walk at a slow,
constant rate towards the wall for about 5 seconds.

Step 5: The calculator will create graphs for position versus time and velocity versus time
on the same screen in the DataQuest app. Repeat experiment as necessary until you
generate a graph for position versus time that is approximately linear. Describe how the
graph compares with your prediction in Step 1.
Step 6: Sketch the actual graph of your position versus time graph. Explain any
differences between this graph and your prediction.

Step 7: Click on the graph and move along the data using the arrow keys. Note the value
of position and time on the left side of the screen. Answer the following questions:

INTERDISCIPLANARY LESSON PLAN

a. How can you estimate the average velocity of the walker? What was the
position of the walker near the time t = 0 seconds? At time t = 5 seconds?
b. Show your work to calculate the slope of the graph using your positions at
time t = 0 and t = 5 seconds.
c. What does the slope of the graph represent physically?
d. Why is the slope negative?
e. Linear functions are usually written in the form f ( x )=mx+ b . Determine
the y-intercept of your line and write an equation that you think will model the
data.
f. What does the y-intercept represent?
Step 8: Select Analyze > Model. Select m*x+b to create a linear model. Type your values
calculated manually from above in the fields for slope and y-intercept.

Step 9: The model can be adjusted by clicking the word Model. Arrow down to make
changes. If you make adjustments, record the equation with the new values. How does
the graph of your model change if you change the values of m or b?
Step 10: Find a regression model that fits your data. Select Analyze > Curve Fit > Linear.
This will give an equation for the linear regression model. Record the values for m and b.
Dont forget to include units!

Step 11: Click OK to see the graphical results of the regression. How does your linear
regression compare with the model you found in Step 9? How do the values for m and b
compare?

Step 12: Answer the following questions:

INTERDISCIPLANARY LESSON PLAN

a. How would the graph change if you walked in the opposite direction?
b. How would the equation change?
c. What is the advantage to finding an equation using a model rather than the
regression?
d. Describe a situation when the model would be more accurate than a
regression.

Assessment
To assess the learning outcomes of this lesson, an interactive whole-class method would
be used. Using the TI-Navigator System, the teacher can select a particular student to present
their handheld calculator screen to the entire class. Using this system, the teacher can ask the
class questions and have them display their calculations to the class. For example, the teacher
could give an equation and instruct the class to graph it, find a linear regression model for it, and
interpret the meaning of the y-intercept and slope in context. This type of assessment is far less
traditional than most; however, the pre-service teacher feels it is perfectly appropriate for this
introductory lesson. This informal form of assessment allows students to take chances and show
their skills to their classmates in a safe way where everyone is still learning.

Accommodations and Modifications

The pre-service teacher will make any and all accommodations and modifications
necessary to enable each and every one of her students to participate in this lesson. Because of its
hands-on component and the fact that students are working in pairs, the nature of this lesson
works nicely with students of all abilities. Students who need more time completing the lab may
do so by coming in during lunch or before/after school. The pre-service teacher recognizes that

INTERDISCIPLANARY LESSON PLAN

the assessment method that she has chosen may not be the best choice for every student, so an
alternative assessment will be made available for those students in need of it.

References
CPALMS. SC.912.P.12.2 Retrieved November 27, 2016, from
http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewStandard/Preview/1932
CPALMS. MAFS.912.F-LE.1.1. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from
http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewStandard/Preview/5584
CPALMS. MAFS.912.F-LE.2.5. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from
http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewStandard/Preview/5588
Education Technology. TI-Nspire CX Handheld. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from
https://education.ti.com/en/us/products/calculators/graphing-calculators/ti-nspire-cxhandheld/tabs/overview

INTERDISCIPLANARY LESSON PLAN

Education Technology. TI-Navigator. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from

https://education.ti.com/en/us/products/ti-navigator-systems/tinavigator/features/features-summary
Model a Walk. STEM Investigations with TI-Nspire Technology (pp. 29-3). (2014). Texas
Instruments Incorporated.
Vernier. Calculator-Based Ranger 2. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from
https://www.vernier.com/products/sensors/motion-detectors/cbr2/