Louisiana State University

Instructional Models

LSU Team​: Nathaniel Tilley and Elizabeth Mentor Teacher​: Course:

Seidenglanz
Date to be Taught​: School: Classroom Number:
Time to be Taught: Grade Level​: Lesson Topic​:

Title of Lesson: Functions and Their Properties

Source of Lesson: N/A

Description of Concepts to be Taught (include a brief summary of why the lesson is important to students)​:

● The concepts to be taught in this lesson are linear, quadratic, and exponential functions. The students will be exploring these functions and their
properties. They will be given examples of functions in equation form, graph form, or table form, and they will discuss the types of functions that are being
described and what they imply about the relationship.

Louisiana Grade Level Expectations (GLE’s)​:

● A1:A-REI.D.10 - Understand that the graph of an equation in two variables is the set of all its solutions plotted in the coordinate plane, often forming a
curve (which could be a line).
● A1:F-IF.B.5 - Relate the domain of a function to its graph and, where applicable, to the quantitative relationship it describes. ​For example, if the function
h(n) gives the number of person-hours it takes to assemble n engines in a factory, then the positive integers would be an appropriate domain for the
function.
● A1:F-IF.C.7 - Graph functions expressed symbolically and show key features of the graph, by hand in simple cases and using technology for more
complicated cases.
○ a. Graph linear and quadratic functions and show intercepts, maxima, and minima.
○ b. Graph piecewise linear (to include absolute value) and exponential functions.
NCTM/NSES Standards:

Student Learning Objectives​:

● Students will be able to graph and interpret linear functions based on real world contexts.
● Students will be able to graph and interpret quadratic functions based on real world contexts.
● Students will be able to graph and interpret exponential functions based on real world contexts.

Safety Precautions:

None

Advanced Preparations​:

None

ENGAGEMENT Approximate Time:​ 20 minutes

What the Teacher Will Do Eliciting Questions and Student Responses What the Students Will Do

-Draw 2 graphs on the board; one graph will be a
function and the other will not be a function
-Group the students together and have them
discuss which graph they think is of a function and
why
-Have groups share their answers with the class to
confirm the definition of a function
-”What other tools could we use to help us figure -Get in groups assigned by the teacher
out information about each of these graphs?”
-”We could make a table to see actual lists of
points.”
-”What do you notice is different about these -Discuss the possible definition of a function based
functions?” on the given graphs
-”The circle has two y values for some x values,
while the other one has one y value for each x
value.”
-”Does the shape of a graph matter when deciding -Discuss the definition of functions with the class
if it is a function?”
-”Not completely. The shape does not matter as
long as there is only one y-value for each x-value.
As long as that requirement is met, the shape does
not matter after that.”
TRANSITION
Now that we know exactly what constitutes as a function, let’s look at specific types of functions and what they
describe.
EXPLORATION Approximate Time:​ 10 minutes

What the Teacher Will Do Eliciting Questions and Student Responses What the Students Will Do

-Give examples of the three main functions on the
board by drawing their graphs (linear, quadratic,
and exponential).
-Facilitate a discussion on the implications of each
function’s shape and values
T: “What does this linear function tell us about -Making note of the 3 functions on the board, their
values of y?” shapes, and whatever else they may want to
S: “For each increase of x, there will be an consider
increase in y. Lines go on forever, so the linear
functions have to always increase, but it will always
decrease in the other direction.”
T: “What does the shape of a quadratic function tell
us?”
S: “There is a certain y-value that will not be
passed. The one of the board forms a U shape
where the y value does not go below the bottom of
the U, but it goes up on both sides forever.”
T: “What does the shape of the exponential graph
tell us?”
S: “As x increases by a little, y increases more
and more each time, meaning the graph grows
really fast. This one also goes up forever.”
T: ”Will every linear function have the exact same -Discussing the implications of each function from
qualities?” its shape and values.
S: “They will all look like a line, but sometimes
you can’t have negative values, so the graph would
get cut off in the negative areas if those values
aren’t allowed.”
T: “What else do we notice about the exponential
graph?”
S: “That one starts growing really slowly and the
shoots up. I think that means that it never actually
equals zero.”
T: “How can we tell that it never equals zero?”
S: ”There is no exponent that will give a value of
zero. You just get smaller numbers for each smaller
exponent.”
TRANSITION
Now that we understand the basic properties of the three main functions, let’s look at them in a little more detail.
What the Teacher Will Do
-Hand out graphing workshee​t
-Walk around to make sure students are on task
-Answer any questions students may ask
EXPLANATION Approximate Time:​ 10 minutes
Eliciting Questions and Student Responses What the Students Will Do
T: ”If you are given this equation here, what is one -Working on the handout
surefire way to not only tell that it’s a function, but
to see what type of function you’re working with?”
S: “I can graph it because I can see the shape
of it and to do the vertical line test.”
T: “In these two examples, we have exponents. We -Staying on task, only talking to those around them
did not get the same graph shape, meaning that to discuss the material
they are two different types of functions. Why are
they not the same, and how can we tell the
difference between quadratic and exponential?”
S: “The exponent for the quadratic function is 2,
and the exponent for the exponential graph is x.”
T: “How can we describe the relationship of the -Ask questions to nearby students or to the teacher
exponent to the function then? Why does one grow
faster than the other?”
S: “In a quadratic function, the function involves
squaring the x. In an exponential function, the
exponent depends on x. It’s a matter of a constant
exponent versus a changing exponent. This is why
they do not change at the same rate. The quadratic
function increases at a constant rate (based on the
exponent) and the exponential function increases
at an increasing rate based on the exponent.
T: “How can we tell, other than by process of
elimination, that our function is a linear function?”
S: “Lines increase at a constant rate, so when
there is a number being multiplied to an x, that’s
the number the graph is increasing by each time,
giving it a line shape when graphed.”
TRANSITION
Since we know how to tell which function is which, let’s look at some examples of how functions can be used in real life and see if we can determine what
functions represents the relationship.

ELABORATION Approximate Time:​ 10 minutes

What the Teacher Will Do Eliciting Questions and Student Responses What the Students Will Do
-​Pass out worksheet T: “When we are given this word problem, how can -Staying on task
we determine what type of function we are dealing
with?”
S: “We have to write the function that describes
this relationship based on the information we’ve
been given.”
T: “Can we tell what kind of function is being
described without writing the function?”
S: “Yes. A linear relationship changes by the
same amount every time, a quadratic relationship
involves squaring each time, and an exponential
function changes based on the variable exponent.
This problem sounds more like an exponential
function.”
T: “
-Make sure students are on task -Asking any questions to the students near them, or
to the teacher

-Answer any questions asked by students

TRANSITION
Now that it looks like we all have an understanding of the different types of functions, let’s do this exit ticket

EVALUATION Approximate Time:​ 5 minutes

 What the Teacher Will Do
-Hand out exit ticket
Eliciting Questions and Student Responses What the Students Will Do
T: “We have seen different types of functions in -Fill out exit ticket
word problem on the last handout, so can we think
of a different scenario that models the same type of
relationship?”
S: “It looks like those were just ‘something per
something’ like dollars per item, or whatever, so the
linear function word problem would be something
like those.”
T: “How would we represent ‘after the population
doubles, three more animals show up’ as a
function?”
S: “We know that it’s an exponential function
because it continues growing by a factor of 2 every
time. Since the subtraction of 3 happens after the
doubling, there must be a -3 at the end of the
function.”
 Louisiana State University
Instructional Models
 
 

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