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This Man vs. Beast: Approximating Derivatives using Human and Animal Movement lesson plan also includes:
- Supporting Documents (.zip)
- Project
- Activity
- Vocabulary
- Assessment
- Answer Key
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What does dropping a ball look like as a graph? An engaging activity asks learners to record a video of dropping a ball and uploading the video to software for analysis. They compare the position of the ball to time and calculate the instantaneous rates of change that connects their data points. The goal is for scholars to make a connection between their calculations and the derivative of the function.
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Instructional Ideas
- Give each group a different height from which to drop the ball; compare results at the conclusion of the activity
Classroom Considerations
- Pupils unfamiliar with Logger Pro software would benefit from practice prior to the activity
- Requires access to a digital camera and ability to upload to Logger Pro software
- Final lesson in a series of four
Pros
- Provides a procedure for establishing group accountability
- Includes a detailed teaching guide
Cons
- Some resources for additional lessons in the series are not available