21st Century Lessons

The Slope of a Line

Primary Lesson Designer(s):

Corey Cheever

1
 Access 300,000+ free lesson plans
like this one on Share My Lesson,
developed by the American
Federation of Teachers and TES
Global: sharemylesson.com.

2
 This project is funded by the
American Federation of Teachers.

3
21st Century Lessons – Teacher Preparation

Please do the following as you prepare to deliver this lesson:

• Spend AT LEAST 30 minutes studying the
Lesson Overview, Teacher Notes on each
slide, and accompanying worksheets.
• Set up your projector and test this PowerPoint file to make
sure all animations, media, etc. work properly.
• Feel free to customize this file to match the language and
routines in your classroom.

*1st Time Users of 21st Century Lesson:

Click HERE for a detailed description of our project.

4
Lesson Overview (1 of 4)

Lesson Objective Students will be able to identify the slope of a line, and graph
a line with a given slope.

Lesson Description The Do Now will remind students about the order of
operations when dealing with negative numbers and fraction
bars. Then, the students will see a demonstration of positive,
negative, zero, and undefined slope. During the exploration,
students will find slope by definition (rise/run), and the
practice will turn towards the slope formula. Finally, the
homework assignment investigates slope with regards to
geometry.

5
Lesson Overview (2 of 4)
Lesson Vocabulary Slope
Lattice Point
Vertical
Horizontal

Materials Graph Paper

Pencil
Ruler

Common Core CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.B.6

State Standard Use similar triangles to explain why the slope m is the same
between any two distinct points on a non-vertical line in the
coordinate plane; derive the equation y = mx for a line through the
origin and the equation y = mx + b for a line intercepting the
vertical axis.

6
Lesson Overview (3 of 4)
Scaffolding During the practice, all questions are covered on the power
point slide. The teacher may choose to have the students work
first, then go over the answers, alternate between the students
seeing the answers and trying on their own, or working with
the students side by side.
Enrichment The last question of the practice asks students to give a
conjecture about slope and collinear points. This is a great
opportunity for students to experience a low threshold, high
ceiling question. This concept is also further explored in the
homework.
Online Resources for https://www.engageny.org/resource/grade-8-mathematics-
Absent Students module-5

7
Lesson Overview (4 of 4)
Before and After Before: Students need to have a strong understanding of adding
and subtracting integers, the order of operations, and plotting
points on a coordinate grid.

After: Students will be able to find the slope of any line, and graph
a line with a given slope. This prepares them to deal with functions
in the form: y = mx + b.

Topic Background Slope is an overlapping concept throughout each grade in the

Common Core standards. With regards to functions, it is very
important to have a deep understanding of slope before starting to
discuss linear functions. Slope can be found everywhere in the real
world, and this lessons includes multiple examples of slope in
everyday life.

8
Warm Up
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to define slope and find the slope of a line
given two points on the line or given the graph of the line.
LANGUAGE OBJECTIVE: SWBAT define and describe the following words -
Slope, Lattice Point, Horizontal, Vertical.

Evaluate each of the following expressions.

4 6
2  6
𝟕−𝟑 𝟒−(−𝟐)
1. 𝟓−𝟑
= 2.
𝟒−𝟑
=
2 1
𝟒−𝟏𝟎 6 −𝟐−𝟑 5
3.
𝟐−(−𝟏)
=  -2 4.
−𝟏−(−𝟒)
=
3 3

Agenda
9
 Agenda:
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to define slope and find the slope of a line given two points
on the line or given the graph of the line.
LANGUAGE OBJECTIVE: SWBAT define and describe the following words - Slope, Lattice Point,
Horizontal, Vertical.

1) Warm Up – Arithmetic Review (Individual)

2) Launch – What is slope? (Class)
3) Explore – Which points to pick? (Partner)
4) Summary – The Slope Formula (Class)
5) Practice – Applying our new knowledge (Small Group)
6) Assessment – Exit Slip (Individual)

10
 Launch – What is slope?
Our friend Luis is riding his bike. He goes up two different hills. Which hill will
be harder for Luis to pedal up?

HILL #1 HILL #2

Agenda
11
 Launch – What is slope?
Later on, Luis is going down two hills. Which hill will he gain more speed on?

HILL #3 HILL #4

Agenda
12
 Launch – What is slope?
The measure of how hard it is for Luis to pedal up the hill, or how much speed
Luis gains down hill is known as slope. Here is the formal definition for slope.

Slope of a line – The ratio of

Horizontal
vertical distance between two (run)
points and horizontal distance
between the same two points. Vertical
Here is an easy way to remember slope: (rise)

Agenda
13
 Launch – What is slope?
The harder it is to pedal up hill for Luis, the larger the slope.

SLOPE = POSITIVE

Agenda
14
 Launch – What is slope?
The more speed Luis gains going downhill, the more negative the slope is

SLOPE = Negative

Agenda
15
 Launch – What is slope?
When Luis is riding on flat ground, there is no slope, or a slope of zero.

SLOPE = 0

Agenda
16
 Launch – What is slope?
Luis can’t ride his bike straight up or down, so the slope is undefined.

SLOPE is undefined

Agenda
17
 Launch – What is slope?
Here are some real world examples of slope. A wheelchair ramp can have a
slope of 1/12 at the most. This means for every 1 foot a person goes up, they
travel 12 feet across. This is a small positive slope.

1 foot
12 feet

Agenda
18
 Launch – What is slope?
The steepest stairs in the world can be found in Huashan mountain, in China.
The slope here would be a large, positive number.

Agenda
19
 Launch – What is slope?
The “steeps” of San Fransico include some of the biggest hills in a U.S. city. The
slope shown in the picture to the left would be negative.

Agenda
20
 Launch – What is slope?
Let’s find the exact slope of a line on a coordinate axis.
Step 1 – Pick two points on the line that
that have integer coordinates.
1
These are called lattice points.
Step 2 – Draw a vertical line from the
LEFT dot to the same height as the
2
RIGHT dot.
Count the distance. This is the RISE.
Step 3 – Draw a straight across to
the right dot.
Count the distance. This is the RUN.
Step 4 – Divide the RISE by the RUN
to get the SLOPE.
SLOPE = RISE/RUN = 2/1 = 2

Agenda
21
 Launch – What is slope?
Let’s find the exact slope of a line on a coordinate axis.

VERY IMPORTANT:

Remember, always go from left to

right.
-2
If your vertical line goes down, your
RISE is negative.
If you can’t remember, think of Luis
1
Riding his bike!

SLOPE = RISE/RUN = -2/1 = -2

Agenda
22
 Explore – Which Two Points to Pick?
Here is the main question:

Does it matter which two

points we pick to find the
slope of a line?

Agenda
23
 Explore – Which Two Points to Pick?
We will need to remember what the term similar triangles means to answer our
question. Here is a definition that you will need to use during the exploration.

3
Remember, similar triangles are
triangles whose corresponding angles
are congruent.
5

Also, the ratios of corresponding sides of

similar triangles are equal! 6

10

Agenda
24
 Explore – Which Two Points to Pick?
Here are two more similar triangles. 10
Can you find the missing side on this triangle?!
5

? 16

? 16 8 16
 
5 10 5 10

Agenda
25
 Explore – Calculating Slope
Click on the timer!
Work with your partner. We will
investigate the slope of a line a
little more closely.
You will get a worksheet and a
ruler. You should:
1-Partners -Remember rise/run goes left to
2-Share Out right
3-Discussion -Plot the points carefully
-Be careful with positives and
negatives!

In 10 minutes you will be asked to stop to discuss!

Agenda
26
 Explore – Which points to pick?

Agenda
27
Explore – Student Share Out
Discussion - (5 Min)
Did anyone find the missing side?
Why were we able to find the length of
the missing side?

Click here to see an interactive display!

Agenda
28
Summary
No matter what two points we pick, we will create a triangle will its two sides in
the same ratio. Therefore, we can pick any two points we want!

𝑥2 − 𝑥1
The vertical distance, or the RISE
is the difference between the
two y values: 𝑦2 − 𝑦1 . (𝑥2 , 𝑦2 )
The horizontal distance, or the
RUN is the difference between 𝑦2 − 𝑦1
the two x values: 𝑥2 − 𝑥1 .

So, the slope is:

(𝑥1 , 𝑦1 )
𝑦2 − 𝑦1
𝑆𝐿𝑂𝑃𝐸 =
𝑥2 − 𝑥1

Agenda
29
Summary
This is known as the slope formula.

Given two points with coordinates 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 and

𝑥2 , 𝑦2 the slope of the line that goes through the
two points is given by:
(𝑥2 , 𝑦2 )
𝑦2 − 𝑦1
𝑚=
𝑥2 − 𝑥1
Note that an “m” is usually used to
represent slope. (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 )

Agenda
30
Practice
1. Find the slope between the two lines using the slope formula.

a) (3, 5) and (-2, 3)

The slope is 2/5.

Every time the line rises two units, it goes to the right five units!

Agenda
31
Practice
1. Find the slope between the two lines using the slope formula.

b) (4, 24) and (6, 36)

The slope is 6.
Every time the line rises 6 units, it goes to the right one unit!

Agenda
32
Practice
1. Find the slope between the two lines using the slope formula.

c) (2, 1) and (2, -4)

The slope is undefined.

The line goes straight up and down.

Agenda
33
Practice
1. Find the slope between the two lines using the slope formula.

d) (3.2, -2) and (3, -1)

The slope is -5.

Every time the line goes DOWN 5 units, it goes to the right one unit.

Agenda
34
Practice
2a. Find the slope of the line.
1. Pick two lattice points:
(0, 2) and (4, 4).
2. Use the slope formula:

The slope of this line is ½. Every time the line goes up one
unit, it goes to the right by two.

Agenda
35
Practice
2b. Find the slope of the line.
1. Pick two lattice points:
(0, 2) and (1, -1).
2. Let’s do this one by counting:
Rise = -3
Run = 1
-3 Slope = Rise/Run = -3/1 = -3

1
The slope of this line is -3. Every time the line goes DOWN
three units, it goes to the right by one.

Agenda
36
Practice
3a. Find missing side of the triangle.
The slope of the line is 2/3.

So, this triangle must have sides in

the ratio of 2/3.

The length of the missing side is 4!

Agenda
37
Practice
3b. Find the missing side of the triangle.
The slope of the line is -5/2.
8
So, this triangle must have sides in
the ratio of -5/2.

The length of a triangle cannot be

negative, so the length of the
missing side must be 8!

Agenda
38
Practice – Challenge Problem

The red triangle is

8 𝑏𝑦 3.

The blue triangle is

5 𝑏𝑦 2.
8 5
≠
3 2

Therefore, the triangles

are not similar.

Since the triangles are not

similar, the larger shape is
actually a quadrilateral, not a
triangle!

Agenda
39
Assessment – Exit Ticket

Agenda
40
Homework –

Agenda
41
 21st Century Lessons
The goal…
The goal of 21st Century Lessons is simple: We want to assist teachers, particularly in
urban and turnaround schools, by bringing together teams of exemplary educators
to develop units of high-quality, model lessons. These lessons are intended to:
•Support an increase in student achievement;
•Engage teachers and students;
•Align to the National Common Core Standards and the Massachusetts curriculum
frameworks;
•Embed best teaching practices, such as differentiated instruction;
•Incorporate high-quality multi-media and design (e.g., PowerPoint);
•Be delivered by exemplary teachers for videotaping to be used for professional
development and other teacher training activities;
•Be available, along with videos and supporting materials, to teachers free of charge via the
Internet.
•Serve as the basis of high-quality, teacher-led professional development, including mentoring
between experienced and novice teachers.

49
 21st Century Lessons
The people…
Directors:
Kathy Aldred - Co-Chair of the Boston Teachers Union Professional Issues Committee
Ted Chambers - Co-director of 21st Century Lessons
Tracy Young - Staffing Director of 21st Century Lessons
Leslie Ryan Miller - Director of the Boston Public Schools Office of
Teacher Development and Advancement

Wendy Welch - Curriculum Director (Social Studies and English)

Carla Zils – Curriculum Director (Math)
Shane Ulrich– Technology Director
Marcy Ostberg – Technology Evaluator

50
 Visit sharemylesson.com to
download this and other high-
quality PreK-12 lesson plans shared
by education professionals and
content partners.

51