Modeling Competing Situations as an Equation Project

Robert Valeria
Introduction: This lesson is near the end of a unit on equations for advanced 7th grade math
students in the class Pre-Algebra. These students will take Alg 1 in 8th grade. In the lesson,
students will create a video lesson on solving a competing situations real world problem by
modeling it as an equation and solving the equation.
The lesson is placed in a 1 to 1 classroom where each student has an iPad. The students will
create their video using the app Knowmia, which they have already worked with previously in
the class. This app uses screen capture while also recording student voices.
Prior to this lesson, students were introduced to the project they will be completing. We looked
at the worksheet, Chapter 3 Project: Algebra and Competing Situations. Students should have
already created a real-world situation involving competing situations (where one option has a
greater initial amount and a lesser rate and a second option has the two amounts opposite to
the first). Detailed explanation is found on the worksheet. Students also should have solved
their equation. During the lesson today, they will be creating slides in Knowmia with the goal of
eventually recording their voice while completing math work on their iPad to create a video
lesson on how to solve their questions. In preparation for todays class, students completed a
rough draft or storyboard in the aforementioned worksheet containing what material they will
put in their slides and what they will say for each slide. Students worked on this during the
previous class and whatever they did not finish was homework for this lesson.
The lesson motivates algebra by having the students create their own situation, teach and
explain their understanding to others, and create a multimedia presentation using the iPad app
Knowmia.
Prior Knowledge: Students should be able to:
- Solve multi-step equations with variables on both sides
- Model situations as two-step equations and equations of the form p(x + q) = r, solve
these equations, and interpret the solution in the context of the problem.
- Create videos using the iPad app Knowmia
Objective: Students will be able to:
- Model real-world situations involving competing situations as equations of the form p +
rx = q + tx, solve the equation, and interpret the solution in the context of the problem.

Materials: I need a computer connected to an ActivBoard as well as the following links:

- http://www.knowmia.com/watch/lesson/37297 (video presentation to introduce lesson)
- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z0eK7HspDhy9vIhYuo22oqfB3oa4LMYcg9DtnSvV
oIw/edit?usp=sharing (this lesson plan)
- https://docs.google.com/document/d/15VRaTyC0EY2Tb0IohSN-loVS97tbewUio7qU2Dv9bw/edit?usp=sharing (Introductory worksheet that connects to the video)
- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Hk4V_jA8CE7lYtHJftmTzes9NiVyfIZGxxy0tOjm0F
A/edit?usp=sharing (Project Directions which were given to students previously)
- I need an iPad with the Knowmia app on it and an adapter cord that connects the iPad to
my ActivBoard.
- The iPad should also have the Socrative Teacher App on it with room number: 7cd9805f
Students need:
- iPad with Knowmia and Socrative as well as already setup accounts since we have used

Competing Situations - 10/11/2014

this program previously. If there is a new student in my class who has not used it, I will
help them set up an account prior to the class in homeroom.
Chapter 3 Project: Algebra and Competing Situations Worksheet given to students
previously
Introduction to Chapter 3 Project Worksheet which will be given to students at the
beginning of this lesson.

Time: One 42-minute period

Process:
Prior to Class: I will post a reminder for students on the board that they should have their
iPads ready to go for this class period and that they should take out their homework, Chapter
3 Project: Algebra and Competing Situations. I will have typed the objective for todays lesson
on a clean Activboard slide. I will have an internet page open to the Knowmia introductory
video (http://www.knowmia.com/watch/lesson/37297). I also will have two internet pages
open to the Google Docs worksheets that the students will be using today. I will also remind
students of this when they enter the classroom while also passing out the worksheet,
Introduction to Chapter 3 Project before the bell rings.
Introduction: When the bell rings to start class, I will state, We will start today by looking at
the worksheet on your desk, Introduction to Chapter 3 Project so turn to this worksheet. I will
switch my computer to the ActivBoard slide which contains todays objective, and state, our
goal for todays lesson is for you to be able to model real-world situations involving competing
situations as equations of the form p + rx = q + tx, solve the equation, and interpret the
solution in the context of the problem.
I will continue, For you to master this objective, we are going to have you take your own
created situation and use the technology app Knowmia so that you can create a video lesson or
a video tutorial. When others view the tutorial, they should be able to better understand this
objective, as well as how algebra can indeed help us.
I will then switch my ActivInspire program to the show-desktop option and select the file on
Google Docs for the Introductory worksheet. I will state, As your worksheet states, In our
world, we run into many problems that people disagree on how we should solve them. Instead
of arguing about which path to take, companies and people often turn to math to provide
answers. I am now going to show you one such situation. It is a video that I created using
Knowmia. This video is similar to the one you will be creating but slightly different in that
during one part of it, I will pause it so you can complete some math work instead of seeing me
do it. Go ahead and read some of the worksheet information to yourself. You will be filling it in
and completing it as you watch the video. Then I will start the video.
Lesson: The video presents a situation in which algebra can be used to solve a real-world
problem. A person named Juan is trying to decide which hot air balloon ride to purchase. His
two options are:
-

Hot Air Adventure, which has an initial charge of $89.99 and an additional charge of
$1.50 for each minute the person rides on the hot air balloon
Areofun, which has an initial charge of $124.99 and a per minute charge of $0.80

The question is which plan Juan should use so I explain that we want to figure out when the two
plans will be exactly equal. I then explain how to take this information and model each of the
options as expressions before explaining that we can set them equal to each other since we
want to know when they will be the same. I will pause the video after the equation is written on
the board and explain to the students what they should have filled in on their worksheet (I will

Competing Situations - 10/11/2014

also have completed this work using ActivInspire so if any students are struggling to keep up
they will see the correct information.)
I will emphasize to students that they should have completed correctly everything on the
worksheet that I did on the board. I will then give them time to solve the equation themselves.
My students have already learned this information, and I want them to receive practice at it
instead of simply telling them how to complete it. I will walk around the room, checking student
work and helping students when needed. I will then start the video where it left off. I will pause
the video after the equation has been solved and emphasize to students that if they made a
mistake, they need to erase it and fix their work so that it matches the video. I will also
emphasize that they could have solved the equation differently from my presentation. No
matter which way they solved it, however, they should have gotten the solution 50. I will also
at this time ask the students why I decided to remove the 0.80x term from the right side
instead of the 1.50x term from the left side of the equation. We will discuss the benefit of this
(avoiding a negative x term) while also discussing that it is not necessary. I will then ask a few
students if they prefer to avoid a negative x term or not in such a situation.
I will tell the students to now think about which Hot Air Balloon ride should be used if Juan is
going to ride for less than or more than 50 minutes and to complete this section of their
worksheet. I will walk around the room, checking student understanding. I will show the video
and tell the students they should see if they got it right. After the video ends, I will ask what
other option students have to determine which plan should be used other than the one
discussed in the video (which dealt with identifying which plan starts out better due to its low
initial amount and which one will be better over time due to its lower rate). We will discuss how
if we were unsure about which plan would be better, say, for 60 minutes, we could simply
substitute 60 into both plans and see what cost they will each be. I will ask students which type
of reasoning they prefer on this issue.
I will then tell my students to turn to Introduction to Chapter 3 Project homework assignment.
I will display the same worksheet on my ActivBoard. I will ask for questions on this homework.
I will call on a couple of students to have them explain what they wrote on a particular slide. I
will post this information on the board while they give it. I will then tell them to turn to #6 on
this worksheet. This part tells them the next steps in our project. I will remind them that they
will be creating a similar presentation on Knowmia that I created. When they solve their
equation, however, they should explain it in detail giving reasons why instead of telling the
viewers to complete it themselves. The students will be told to open Knowmia and begin
working on each slide. I will walk around the room and help students as needed. I will remind
students that they they can copy and paste onto different slides by using the props buttons and
they can search for pictures on the web to insert. I will remind them to ask for help from me or
another student if needed and to save frequently.
After roughly 10 minutes of working, I will connect my iPad to my ActivBoard and start
Knowmia. I will tell the students to save their work and to put their iPads down. I will then
display some tips on using Knowmia to create a recording. I will first remind them that they
have to finish all of their slides. I will show them my first slide, which includes my title, name,
and picture. I will show them my second slide briefly before focusing on the third slide, in which
the solving of a different equation from the one in the introductory will be completed. The
equation is 80 + 3x = 40 + 5x. I will emphasize to students how they should use the text
button to write their equation at the top of the slide. I will then push record and show them one
possible explanation that would work while I also write the corresponding step with my finger. I
will emphasize that they can write slow. It is okay if the video has to wait for them to finish. I
will then explain that if they are confident in using their finger to rewrite the equation 80 = 40
+ 2x, they can certainly do that. If they would rather type it, they should pause the video by
pushing record, type it in, and then pick it up from there with another recording. I will ask
some students which one they will be completing. I will ask students which step should be

Competing Situations - 10/11/2014

completed next (subtract 40 from both sides) and also why (we need to remove the number
being added/subtracted first or since solving an equation is a backwards process we need to
complete the order of operations in reverse). I will rewrite the equation and ask students for
the next step and why.
I will remind the students that they should be making sure they complete all of the required
information in the rubric and that they should try to complete as much as they can today on
filling in the slides on Knowmia. The students will then work on their iPads independently while
I walk around the room, checking student understanding and answering questions as needed.
Closure: A little before 5 minutes are left in the class, I will open my Socrative Teacher app on
my iPad and select exit ticket. The students have already worked with Socrative so should
just be able to open the app and see the exit ticket. However, I will also post my room number
for Socrative on the board in case someone got locked out of it: 7cd9805f.
I will then tell the students to save their work in Knowmia. I will post the assignment on the
ActivBoard: Finish completing your slides on Knowmia and be ready for a short quiz on
modeling situations as an equation. I will explain that they can record if they want but they will
also have time to complete this in class tomorrow. I will then tell them to open the Socrative
App on their iPads and to answer the first 2 questions on the exit ticket. I will post information
for two competing plans on the board for the 3rd question. After I have given the students
some time to complete the first 2 questions, I will say that for the third question they should
model the situation I presented on the board as an equation. I will give them time to complete
and submit before we summarize as a group. I will call on random students for this group
closing. First, I will ask a student to summarize what he/she learned today. I will ask another if
there is time. Then I will ask a student to explain how they modeled the situation presented on
the board as an equation.

Standards:
Common Core Standard:
- CC.2.2.7.B.3 Model and solve real world and mathematical problems by using and
connecting numerical, algebraic, and/or graphical representations.
ISTE Technology Standards:
- 1.a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
- 2.b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety
of media and formats
- 4.a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation
- 4.b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project
- 6.b. Select and use applications effectively and productively
Assessment:
Formative Assessments:
- Checking student understanding by walking around and assessing their progress on their
packets and their Knowmia projects.
- Asking questions to the class and calling on students randomly throughout the class
period. I will make sure my questions ask the students why or to explain their reasoning
instead of only asking them for answers.
- Exit Ticket completed using the Socrative App. I will not be grading the exit ticket that
students complete through Socrative. I will instead use it as a formative assessment.
Summative Assessments:

Competing Situations - 10/11/2014

Completed Knowmia Project that students will send me via email.

Short quiz on modeling a competing situation as an equation and solving
Ch 3 test which assesses the main objective of this lesson as well as others

Extension:
Students will finish their recording the next class period or it will be assigned for homework. As
an extension activity, they will be allowed to use Knowmia or Educreations or another screen
capture app to teach a lesson on modeling situations as inequalities which we will be covering
in the next several periods after this lesson.
Differentiation:
My school has 4 different math levels. This is the second-highest level so students are expected
to maintain appropriate performance at this level. Nevertheless, I will provide opportunities for
differentiation as well as helping students who are struggling throughout the lesson. First, I
have already broken this large project into steps to help students who struggle. I have created
a guiding worksheet with a rough draft to help them. I will review how to model situations as
equations and how to solve them at the beginning of the lesson through my video. I will then
focus on helping students who are struggling either with the content or the technology during
the class. If I have students who struggle with technology, I will use one of the following
options depending on the situation: help them individually, assign a student who is working
ahead to help them, assist them with their video, allow them to have a friend or family member
assist with their video and/or recording, allow them to use a different app they are more
comfortable with (such as Educreations). If I have students who struggle to write on small
screens, depending on their ability, I will assist them during the video or allow them to
complete a presentation to me on the ActivBoard using ActivInspire software instead of the
Knowmia app. They will be able to use a computer in my classroom for this.

Competing Situations - 10/11/2014