TGC Fellow Unit Template *

Prepared by: Melissa Nadeau

School/Location: Danbury Public
Schools, Danbury, CT
Subject: Mathematics Algebra 1
Grade: MS/HS
Unit Title: Introduction to Exponential Functions
Time Needed: 30 days
Unit Summary: Introduction to Exponential Functions builds on the concepts of linear functions and
patterns of change. Students explore significant relationships that are exponential in nature in a context
that affect the lives of people around the world.

Stage 1 Desired Results

ESTABLISHED GOALS:
Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to(real world
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.1
purpose)
Cite specific textual evidence to
support analysis of science and
Gain an appreciation for the power of mathematics when
technical texts, attending to the
TGC FELLOWS UBD Lesson Template
Identifying significant real world problems
precise details of explanations or
Developing solutions about significant real world problems.
descriptions.
Lesson Title: Exponential Functions: An Introduction
Subject: Algebra I
Prepared by:
Making predictions and decisions about significant real world
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.2
Melissa Nadeau
problems.
Determine the central ideas or
conclusions of a text; trace the text's
Materials Needed: Graphing calculators, Projector for video clips, Ipad/chrome cart, Bulletin board for key concepts,
Meaning
explanation or depiction of a complex
Student Journals, Rulers
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
process, phenomenon, or concept;
Students will understand that
provide an accurate summary of the
Global Competency:
What characterizes exponential
text.
o Students recognize their own andExponential
others perspectives
and
determine how
mathematics
and statistics
models
will
generate
growth
and decay?
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.7
influence that perspective and understanding
it pertains
to the effects
of human
population
growth
What
are real
world models
ofon
very large or as
very
small values.
Translate quantitative or technical
sustainability of earths resources.
When working with real data, it is
exponential growth and decay?
information expressed in words in a

What are the limitations of

important to examine differences
text into visual form (e.g., a table or
o Students communicate their ideas
effectively
with
diverse
audiences
by
using
appropriate
language,
exponential
growth
models?
that are approximate to see if
chart) and translate information
behavior,
and
mathematical
and
statistical
representations
regarding
human
population
growth
on an
How can one differentiate
there is an increasing or
expressed visually or mathematically
of words.
earths resourcesdecreasing
as well as pattern,
the effect
of human interaction
on climate
change
toa linear
exponential
model
from
because
(e.g., in ansustainability
equation) into
effectively
communicate with diverse
audiences.
model given real world data?
exponential
patterns will produce
ELA-LITERACY
.RST.9-10.8
outputs of remarkable value.
Assess the extent to which the
Where is the lesson This lesson uses the context of world population growth
and world food production to
Acquisition
reasoning and evidence in a text
going?
introduce exponential
growth
patterns
and
illustrate
how
exponential
to
Students will know (Content)
Students
willgrowth
be ablecompares
to (Skills)
support the author's claim or a
(Learning Target or
linear growth.
1. N-RN 2. Rewrite expressions
1. Extend the properties of
recommendation for solving a
SWBAT)
involving radicals and rational
exponents to rational exponents.
scientific or technical problem.
2.
Interpretgrowth
the structure
of

Students
will
be
able
to
distinguish
between
linear
and
nonlinear
using tables
exponents using the
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.9
expressions.
and/or graphs. properties of exponents.
Compare and contrast findings
3. Write expressions in equivalent
2. A-SSE 1b. Interpret complicated
presented in a text to those from
forms to solve problems.
expressions by viewing one or
other sources (including their own
4.
Analyze functions using different
more of their parts as a single
experiments), noting when the
representations.

Students will be able to recognize that nonlinear growth leads to average rates of change
that are not constant.
Students will be able to use a recursive feature of a graphing calculator to model
exponential growth.
Students will be able to recognize that exponential growth occurs when there is a constant
multiplicative pattern among function values.

Hook:

Tailored Differentiation:

Students will respond to a journal prompt the

night before and come prepared to discuss ideas
the next day. Prompt: World hunger is an issue
we are all concerned about. Crop yields are
increasing but so is the world population.
Scientists need to know if one quantity is
growing much faster than the other. What are
some of the factors that affect world hunger?
What could happen if the population is growing
much faster than the amount of food produced?

Implement as a student debate. Begin by forming groups of two

to four students. Prompt the groups to first brainstorm about
how they can decide whether or not the data are linear. One
student can be the recorder (to write down the groups ideas)
another can be the reporter (to explain the ideas to others.)
Once they recall their prior knowledge about the properties of
linear tables (constant rates of change), graphs, and equations,
and how to use linear regression and the correlation coefficient,
each group is assigned to defend one of two positions the first
is that the world population data are linear, the other is that the
data are NOT linear.

Students will then be assigned to groups

and explore the information found on the
following websites. The information will
then be jig-sawed out:
Food & Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations
United Nations World Food Program
Stop the Hunger
View #1 on Population Growth
View #2 on Population Growth
View #3 on Population Growth

Equip:

Finally, bring the class together, perhaps with all the groups on
Team Linear on one side, and the groups on Team Nonlinear on
the other. The debate can go back and forth between the two
teams. On each turn, the team gives one reason or comment in
support of their position, with a different group (randomly
selected) from each team taking the turn each time. You may
want to assign a group of judges to critique the arguments made
on both sides.
While students will make arguments on both sides, the ultimate
conclusion should be that the data are NOT linear. This activity
will lead to the discovery that sometimes deciding whether or not
real data are linear can be complex and should involve more than

Students are presented with world population

data from 1804 to 2010. Their task is to
determine whether or not the data are linear. At
first glance, the average rates of change (y/x)
are close in value, and depending on the chosen
scale, the graph could look somewhat linear.
Additionally, the correlation coefficient for the
least-squares linear regression line is high
enough that students could argue that the
relationship is almost linear. However, when the
graph is drawn, students should observe that
the data points appear to lie along a curve
rather than a straight line.
While students will make arguments on both
sides, the ultimate conclusion should be that the
data are NOT linear. In particular, the difference
between successive function values is
consistently increasing. This activity will likely
lead to the discovery that sometimes deciding
whether or not real data are linear can be
complex and should involve more than one tool
(graphs, tables and differences, regression
equations and correlation coefficients.)
Students explore how the world population data
fits a pattern determined by repeated
multiplication by a constant multiplier. This
activity is very brief. It also provides an
opportunity to discuss the fact that
mathematical models can only approximate
real-world data.
Rethink and revise:
Students work with data on global agriculture
production. The students task is to justify that a
linear model is a good fit for the data and to

one tool (graphs, tables and differences, regression equations

and correlation coefficients.)
For Students who need Intervention: Scaffold activity with
questions to determine whether or not data are linear.
For Students who need enrichment: Ask students to find an
explicit rule based on the multiplicative relationship and use it to
verify the prediction for world population in 2055.

interpret the meaning of the slope and yintercept of the regression line. Since these are
real data, the differences are not exactly
constant. Students should observe, however,
that the differences in successive outputs in the
agriculture index data are not consistently
increasing, as were the population data. For
example, sometimes the index will increase by 9
over two years, but other times it will only
increase by 6 over two years. Students should
use the interpretation of the slope to describe
how the data are increasing in at a constant
rate.
Students review information that relates to the
issue of world hunger. Students should compare
the exponential growth of the world population
with the linear growth of agriculture production.
Students should also consider other factors that
may determine whether or not there will be
enough food in the future to feed the global
population this may be done by collaborating
with students through ePals. As they consider
the long term effects out to the year 2055, they
should be reminded that predictions based on
extrapolation are less reliable than those based
on interpolation.
Evaluate:
Students will respond to writing prompts and
present their information using technology such
as glogster, prezi, podcast, video screencasts
presenting the information learned over the
course of the activities. World hunger is an
issue we are all be concerned about. Crop yields
are increasing but so is the world population.
Scientists need to know if one quantity is

growing much faster than the other. What are

some of the factors that affect world hunger?
What could happen if the population is growing
much faster than the amount of food produced?
Through skype or email with our sister
classroom (ePals) discuss their experience with
hunger in their country. You should share
information (cite real data) from US as well as
the data you found that pertains to their country.
Ask questions pertaining to their country as a
whole. Remember to site information from your
interview appropriately (J. Smith, personal
communication, August 15, 2009).
Notes:

Check students ability to use a recursive feature of the

calculator to find values in a multiplicative pattern.
Check students ability to list similarities and
differences between linear growth and exponential
growth.

Organization:
Intentionally group students for jigsaw with strong students
paired with struggling students. Have computers set up to the
specific website those students will be evaluating. Scaffold
questions pertaining to the mathematics and provide hint cards
so students can work independently.