Graphing Equations From Software

Webb, James                              Harlan H.S.
                                         821-2800
                           

Objectives:
1) TO REINFORCE PREVIOUSLY LEARNED EQUATION GRAPHING SKILLS.
2) TO DEVELOP NEW STRATEGIES --OTHER THAN MEMORIZING EQUATIONS--FOR 
   EQUATION GRAPHING.

Apparatus Needed:
1) AN IBM-PC OR COMPATIBLE COMPUTER,
2) AN OVERHEAD PROJECTOR,
3) A VISUAL APPARATUS FOR PROJECTING THE COMPUTER'S CRT IMAGE THROUGH 
   THE OVERHEAD TO THE SCREEN,
4) THE SOFTWARE 'GREEN GLOBS'.

Recommended Strategies:
     Students should observe the demonstration of 'Green Globs' by the 
teacher as he/she takes them through each segment of the software.  
They should be encouraged to plot their own equations using 'Equation 
Plotter' and watch the graph pattern change as they discover what 
happens if they multiply the equation by two, three or 'n'; or what 
happens if they add, subtract or divide the equation by some number.

     The students should separate into small groups to develop their 
skills with 'Linear Graphing.'  They should be encouraged to look at 
the answer when they are stuck rather than resort to memorized 
formulas.  The idea is to develop their own new strategies in 
determining line equations. 
       
     The students should be encouraged to improve their scores when 
playing the games 'Green Globs' and 'Tracker.'  The games should be self-
motivating.  The student's proficiency with graphs should improve 
radically as their game improves.