Math Magic Teachers Hints, Graphing

HINTS FOR MATH TEACHERS

1. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Since a graph is a picture it certainly applies. A graph with pictures added then must be worth two thousand words.

When teaching slope of the line stick figures certainly show their worth. I use them several ways.

I illustrate the differences between positive and negative slopes using running figures.

In my picture the figure is always on the left side of the slope.

I tell my students since we read from left to right; we will have our little man run from left to right also.

Once my little guy is on the line, I ask the students if he is going up the hill or down the hill. Then I ask if he is losing altitude or gaining altitude.

If he is going down the hill he is losing altitude, so he is going in a negative direction. If he is going up hill, he is gaining altitude, hence going in a positive direction.

GRAPHING CONCEPTS AND STICK FIGURES

2. Plot a Positive Line.

When they plot a positive line I tell them to do a quick sketch of a line gaining altitude. Their line must have the same general direction.

This helps students avoid a common problem of not recognizing slopes.

3. Equation of the slope.

I have another set of figures I use is when I am teaching the equation of the slope. These consist of another runner and an elevator.

I place the elevator next to the y-axis with the pulley system pulling it up to the top. The runner is on the x-axis.

I tell the students that you use the elevator to rise to the top of the y-axis, while the runner can only run along the horizontal, or x-axis.

That way the students remember that in the equation of the slope the rise is on the top and it is the y-coordinate, while the run is on the bottom and it is the x-coordinate.

With a little help from my stick figures students keep the math straight.

And don’t worry about the drawing ability. Students love it that they can draw better stick figures than you.