I see it as a group assignment. I want to give the students 2 terms of a sequence and have them identify a sequence which could contain those two terms. I figure that if I given only two terms, that a number of different sequences could be made using those terms.
I've never made a Prezi before, but I did work on one for this lesson. It is still a work in progress. (I am hoping for feedback on the lesson, not the Prezi) sequence prezi
The groups will all be given the same starting information (in case you didn't look at the Prezi). I will be giving them:
My thought is that the groups can either look at this as 5 cents and 20 cents, or they can see 1 thing and 4 things. I want the groups to each come up with a different sequence. Once each group comes up with their sequence they need to write the first 4 terms and a rule to get those terms on the board. As each group adds their terms and rules, that particular sequence becomes off limits to the other groups.
Next I want the groups to figure out if their sequence would end up including the term $5.00 or not.
I can see lots of different options for a third term, giving each group a different sequence of numbers and rules. I want different groups to view the given information differently. I don't want the final challenge to influence the kind of sequence they choose.
ok, thoughts?
I always wanted to do some thing similar in Alg 1, but we really only touch on arithmetic and geometric sequences, so I would ask two questions for the same two first terms “what value for the third term would make this arithmetic?" and “what value would make this geometric?"
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great idea to have kids think in this way. And your starting point has multiple ways of viewing. Just be thinking about how to handle it if every group but one has written something on the board and the last group keeps saying “We don't think there is another way!"
"ok, then I'll make you a deal. (I usually have 7-8 groups). Roll an 8-sided die. Then the people in that group get to switch 2 for 2 with your group and 2-more patterns should be found"
DeleteMy students quickly come to understand that the 4 from the original group get to "present" the 2 new solutions.
My 7th and 8th graders played with this and once they had seen a few examples they came up with over 20 possible 4 term sequences and rules.
This is great! A perfect example of what folks were looking for in last night's #alg1chat. You should post this there! Kathryn, I like your question very much!
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