Dibble High School Brad Mixon and Cassie Cain

IS THE SLOPE LEGAL?

Activity # 1

Mr. Robinson stated the definitions of parallel and perpendicular lines in his review of

this activity because we could not find them on the pass skills website. So this is one change we

made to the activity suggested by him. He also corrected some terminology in the activity

procedures section. Mr. Robinson had a really great idea for a possible extension, one which

would bring to the lesson a new component of technology and a new concept. The graphing

calculator would be required for the students to use to determine the linear regression equation.

Teri Scott had many good suggestions. She suggested to add in the phrase, “students will

need experience using the following equations”, in the background knowledge section of the

lesson plan. She made some suggestions about the activity procedure section as well. Teri gave

us the idea of having an activity guideline. Tami Fry helped us create the guideline and I felt like

this added a very helpful component to this lesson. I, Cassie Cain, have tried to and will always

try to implement this component of having a guideline or worksheet in future lessons. Teri also

suggested to have a history component to the lesson in order to fill in a time spacing issue. One
of the days was not completely filled with things to do, so the kids might get bored. However,

she also suggested have the examples that were similar to those on the assessment on a

transparency so that we could fill up the whole class period on Day 3. So, this is what we added

to the lesson. We did not use the history component idea. Last, we changed the follow up

section to where the students and teacher would fill out the activity attitude assessment, which

had already been approved by the IRB. Teri suggested this change.

Tami added two more questions, numbers 4 and 5 in Part II of the activity guideline. She

also slightly changed the wording to numbers 3,4, and 5 in Part II of the guideline and numbers 5

and 6 in Part III of the guideline. We adjusted the lesson with these changes because they were

good and they were IRB approved!

The only thing we really thought necessary to change after doing the activity was the

order of things in Day 3. We believe after actually doing the activity, it might be beneficial to go

over the examples on the transparency first before having the students measure the slopes of their

ramps.

Steve Wagner gave some good feedback to the lesson, but this was received after doing

the lesson. We added the project objective about giving students a physical interpretation of a
mathematical parameter, into the lesson plan. We also added his suggestions to the following

definitions: slope of a line and perpendicular lines. We considered his comment about asking

“If we built a ramp over these stairs with a plywood board, would it be legal” to fall under the

possible extension category. We did use his suggestion to italicize the words differentiating

numbers 3 and 4 in Part I and differentiating numbers 1,2,3, and 4 in Part II of the guideline.

These are all the changes we have made to this lesson that were inspired from all the

people who reviewed the lesson and from actual doing the activity with the students at Dibble

High.

Is The Slope Legal?

 Location: Dibble High School, Dibble Oklahoma

Cooperating High School Teacher: Mr. Louis Robinson

(Mathematics)

Cooperating High School Principal: Mr. Dale Roath

Authentic Teaching Alliance Fellows: Brad Mixon and Cassie

Cain

Required Materials:
3 Tape Measures (25 ft.)
3 Yard Sticks
Computer with Internet (To look up regulations for handicap accesses)
2 Notepads of Graph Paper
1 Wheelchair
Time Frame:
Day 1- Pre Assessment (see attached)
Day 2- Part I and Part II of Activity Guideline (see attached)
Day 3- Part III of Activity Guideline (see attached)
Day 4- Post Assessment (see attached)

Place of Activity:
Dibble High School (Outside, in Gym, and in Hallway)

Project Objectives:
To teach the students that rise over run equals slope (in linear situations) and help them
visualize the rise over the run pictorially, not just as a number.
Enable students to identify parallel and perpendicular lines through a picture and express
them as a definition or an exception.
To have students make independent decisions about the regulations and requirements for
wheelchair access ramps.
To let students experience what it is like to be in a wheelchair for a few moments so that they
can have the chance to gain an understanding and compassion for handicap people.
To give students a physical interpretation of a mathematical parameter.

PASS Objectives:
Process Standard
IV. Connections
1. Link mathematical ideas to the real world.
V. Representation
1. Use algebraic, graphic, and numeric representations to model
and interpret mathematical and real world situations.
Algebra I
II. Relations and Functions
3. Calculate the slope of a line using a graph, an equation, two points
or a set of data points.
 5. Slope Interpretation
a. Use the slope to differentiate between lines that are
parallel, perpendicular, horizontal, or vertical.

Vocabulary Terms:
slope of a line - the ratio of the change in y to the corresponding change in x. For any
two points (x , y ) and (x , y ), m = (y - y )/(x - x ); assume y = f(x).
1 1 2 2 2 1 2 1

parallel lines – lines that do not ever intersect in the same plane.
perpendicular lines – lines are perpendicular to one another if the product of their slopes
equal (-1). A vertical and a horizontal line are perpendicular (this is an exception to this
definition).

Background Knowledge: Students will need experience using the following equations:
For any two points (x , y ) and (x , y ), m = (y - y )/(x - x ).
1 1 2 2 2 1 2 1

y = mx + b.
Use of a standard measuring tape.
How to divide compound fractions (and any fractions for that matter).

Additional Resources:
http://www.sde.state.ok.us/publ/pass_pages/math/math.htm
http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm

Activity Procedures:
Day 1, handout pre assessment, ATA Pre Assessment Slope Worksheet (see attached).
Day 2, we will take the students to the school computer lab where they will be given a
website to individually research and find the regulations for the slope that is required for
public wheelchair accesses; they will be completing Part I of Activity Guideline (see
attached) while doing so. Then they will be grouped (one group for each supervising
adult). The supervising adult will lead the students in his/her group to an assigned ramp
 (possibly outside, in gym, or in hallway). The students will individually use a wheelchair
to go up and down the assigned ramp in order to answer questions in Part II of the
Activity Guideline (see attached). In this specific part of the guideline, students will
make a guess about the whether the slope of their ramp does or does not meet the
regulation.
Day 3, students will be in the classroom where they will be shown an example of how to
calculate the slope of a line on a roof, and examples and explanations of parallel lines and
perpendicular lines (can use attached transparency or just draw examples on a graph
chalkboard similar to the pictures in the ATA Pre and Post Assessment worksheets that
are attached). Then we will have the adult supervisor return with his/her group of
students to their assigned ramp. Here they will determine the actual slopes of their ramp
by measuring the rise and run with a yardstick and measuring tape. They then will be
completing Part III of the Activity Guideline (see attached). In the guideline they will
state if the slope of their ramp does in fact meet the regulation for wheelchair accesses.
Next, each group of students will be led to separate locations on school campus where
they can measure the rise and run of different sets of steps.
Day 4, handout post assessment, ATA Post Assessment Slope Worksheet (same as ATA Pre
Assessment Slope Worksheet, see attached).

Possible Extensions:
If for some reason a ramp at the school does not meet the required handicap slope, the
students can extend this lesson by taking action in the form of writing the appropriate
authority (school principal, superintendent, school board, etc.)
Students can extend this activity by putting measured points into a graphing calculator to find
the linear regression line equation for the various ramps and steps around the school.
Students could be asked questions like what is the greatest height this board can have in feet
in order to meet the regulation if given the length is some distance.

Technology Component:
Tape measure
 Computer (Internet)

Assessment Tools:
ATA Pre Assessment Slope Worksheet
ATA Post Assessment Slope Worksheet

Follow-up:
Have students and teacher fill out the Activity Attitude Assessment (see attached).
Dibble High School Name

IS THE SLOPE LEGAL?

Pre and Post Assessment Slope Worksheet

Referring to the attached diagrams, answer the following questions.

What is the slope of

Line A?

Line B?

Line C?

Line D?

Line E?

Line G?

Are lines E and G perpendicular or parallel? Why?

What is the slope of

Line F?

Line H?
Are lines F and H perpendicular or parallel? Why?

What is the slope of

Line I?

Line J?

The dotted line K?

The dotted line L?

Are the dotted lines K and L perpendicular or parallel? Why?

What is slope of each step?

 Answer Sheet for the Pre and Post Assessment Slope Worksheet

1. a. mA = 2/3 (or .67)

b. mB = -1/3 (or -.33)

c. mC = 5/8 (or .625)

d. mD = -5/6 (or -.83)

e. mE = -1

f. mG = 1

2. Perpendicular because mE*mG = (-1)(1) = -1.

3. a. mF = 0

b. mH is not defined.

4. Perpendicular because line F is horizontal and line H is vertical (and a horizontal and
a vertical line are perpendicular to one another).

5. a. mI is undefined.

b. mJ = 0

c. mK = -2/3 (or -.67)

d. mL = -2/3 (or -.67)

6. Parallel because the lines K and L never intersect in the same plane (or because lines
 K and L have the same slope and they are not the same line).

7. msteps = -2/3 (or -.67)

Dibble High School Name

IS THE SLOPE LEGAL?

Activity Guideline

Part I. Preliminary Research

Instructions: Access the website at http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm.

Find the maximum recommended slope of a ramp that meets the regulation
for wheelchair access. Then answer the questions below.

What is the maximum recommended rise over run to make a ramp suitable for wheelchair
access?
½ ft.
1/2 ft. rise over 4 ft. run
4ft.
1ft.
1 ft. rise over 8 ft. run
8ft.
1ft.
1 ft. rise over 10 ft. run
10ft.
1ft.
1 ft. rise over 12 ft. run
12ft.

Which of the following slopes meet the regulation for the slope of a wheelchair access
ramp? Circle all answers that apply.

m = 1/4
 m = 1/12
m = 1/14
m = 1/20

How much effort do you think a person in a wheelchair will have to exert to move up a
ramp that has the maximum slope recommended for wheelchair access?
very much
much
some
little
very little
How much effort do you think a person in a wheelchair will have to exert to control
movement down a ramp that has the maximum slope recommended for wheelchair
access?
very much
much
some
little
very little

Part II. See for Yourself ! (Hypothesis Development)

Instructions: Take turns moving up and down your assigned ramp in the wheelchair.

While in the wheelchair, how much effort did you have to exert going up the ramp?
very much
 much
some
little
very little
2. How much effort was required to control your movement down the ramp?
very much
much
some
little
very little

3. Based on your experience, did you find that moving the wheelchair up the ramp was
easier than you thought it would be?
equal to what you thought it would be?
harder than what you thought it would be?

4. Based on your experience, did you find that controlling the wheelchair down the ramp was
easier than you thought it would be?
equal to what you thought it would be?
harder than what you thought it would be?

5. Based on your experience in the wheelchair, do you think that the slope of the ramp is
less than the maximum regulation?
equal to the maximum regulation?
greater than the maximum regulation?
 Part III. Results and Conclusions

Instructions: Use a yardstick and measuring tape to measure the rise and run of the ramp
you have been assigned to. Answer the following questions.

1. What is the rise (in ft.) of the ramp?

2. What is the run (in ft.) of the ramp?

3. What is the slope of the ramp?

4. Does this meet the requirement?

5. Was your answer to Question 5 (at the top of this page) actually correct?

YES NO

6. Considering all you have learned in this activity, what do you think is an appropriate slope for
ramps to provide access to people in wheelchairs? Would you change the regulations if you
could?
Dibble High School Name

IS THE SLOPE LEGAL?

Activity Attitude Assessment

Please respond as truthfully as possible to the following questions.

1. How much did you enjoy this project?

2. How valuable do you think the information you learned will be in your life?

3. How useful do you think the information you learned might be for a job?
4. How much do you think you have learned by participating in this project?

5. Please write down two things you learned from this project.

7. At any time, did you feel that you were participating in useless tasks?

Yes No

If yes, what tasks did you feel were useless?

8. What you would change about this project?