From: Jim and Carolyn (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: May 01, 2000 at 17:12:42
Subject: Re: Coordinates and plotting

There is a great lab activity from CORD, Applied Mathematics, Unit 17,
Graphing Data.  You probably will not have enough time now to gather the
needed materials, but please keep it in mind for next year.  We have used
this activity many times and students always learn from it and enjoy it.

Activity:     Locating ordered pairs on a coordinate plane.

Equipment:     Two pieces of pegboard 2 ft X 2 ft with x- and y-axes
centered on them

Statement of Problem:        In this activity, members of a group take turns
in reading ordered pairs (x, y)  and placing golf tees, accordingly, on a
pegboard with a centered x - y coordinate system.  Each peg hole counts for
one unit along the x or y axis.

Procedure:

a.     A member of the group should place five golf tees on one of the two
pegboards.  The tees should            be located so that there is at least
one tee in each of the four quadrants.  These locations, kept "hidden" from
the other members of the group, are then identified as ordered pairs and
written on a sheet of paper.

b.  Give the second pegboard and sheet of paper with the ordered pairs to
another member of the group and at the same time start the timer.  The other
member must read the ordered pairs and put the golf tees in the right places
on the second pegboard.   When all the golf tees are in position, stop the
timer.  Check the positions of the tees on the second pegboard with those on
the first and resolve any differences.  Add an additional 10 seconds for
each mistake on the second pegboard.

c.  Repeat steps a and b until everyone in the group has completed each step.

d.     Student with the best time receives an "I love math" pencil.

  There is a great lab activity from CORD, Applied Mathematics, Unit 17,
Graphing Data.  You probably will not have enough time now to gather the
needed materials, but please keep it in mind for next year.  We have used
this activity many times and students always learn from it and enjoy it.


 -Jim and Carolyn, for the Teacher2Teacher service

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