This year I have been struggling with this quadratics unit. I feel as if there are no cohesive elements tying one concept from one to the other. The outline from this unit has been as follows:
| 11/6 | 3-1 | 1 | Graphing Quadratic Functions |
| 11/7 | 3-1 | 1 | Graphing Quadratic Functions |
| 11/8 | 3-2 | 1 | Solving Quadratic Equations by Graphing |
| 11/9 | 3-4 | 1 | Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring |
| 11/12 | | 1 | Review |
| 11/13 | | 1 | Quiz |
| 11/14 | 3-3 | 1 | Complex Numbers |
| 11/15 | | 1 | Complex Numbers |
| 11/16 | | 1 | Complex Numbers |
| 11/19 | 3-5 | 1 | Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square |
| 11/20 | | 1 | Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square |
| 11/26 | 3-6 | 1 | The Quadratic Formula and the Discriminant |
| 11/27 | 3-6 | 1 | The Quadratic Formula and the Discriminant |
With 35 minute periods I have been trying to include different strategies, but overall I want them to know that by completing the square we are finding vertex form of a standard form of a parabola.
They came away from this with the idea that they are actually trying to fill out a square. The next day I borrowed Julie Morgan's ideas and used this tweet.
I felt like it tied it more directly to properties of a parabola, but I feel like I need a better way to assess what they really know about parabolas.
I think I am going to use Nat Banting's post about writing everything they know about a specific parabola and print out each one for groups or partners to discuss.
I need to find a better way to teach this where I am developing conceptual and procedural understanding evenly. If you have any thoughts let me know.
