Pre-service teachers experience an inquiry-oriented mathematics unit on parabolas, which provides them with opportunities to: (a) construct a parabola using the geometric definition of a parabola; (b) make connections between geometry and algebra; (c) derive the vertex form of a quadratic function; and (d) interpret the meaning of the quadratic formula geometrically. This unit also provides regular experiences for pre-service teachers to analyze the reasoning of high school students, because the lessons regularly include Project MathTalk videos of students working on the same tasks as the pre-service teachers.
Lesson 1: Constructing a Parabola
- Lesson 1 PowerPoint: Click on link. Download as a PowerPoint presentation. Do NOT open/download in Google Slides, or formatting and some content may be lost.
- Lesson 1 Instructor Notes
- Activity for Lesson 1
- Homework 1
Lesson 2: High School Students Construct a Parabola
- Lesson 2 PowerPoint: Click on link. Download as a PowerPoint presentation. Do NOT open/download in Google Slides, or formatting and some content may be lost.
- Lesson 2 Instructor Notes
- Activity 1 for Lesson 2
- Activity 2 for Lesson 2
- Homework 2
Lesson 3: Deriving the Equation for a Given Parabola
- Lesson 3 PowerPoint: Click on link. Download as a PowerPoint presentation. Do NOT open/download in Google Slides, or formatting and some content may be lost.
- Lesson 3 Instructor Notes
- Activity 1 for Lesson 3
- Activity 2 for Lesson 3
- Activity 3 for Lesson 3
- Homework 3
Lesson 4: Deriving the Equation for a Class of Parabolas & Parameter Change
- Lesson 4 PowerPoint: Click on link. Download as a PowerPoint presentation. Do NOT open/download in Google Slides, or formatting and some content may be lost.
- Lesson 4 Instructor Notes
- Activity 1 for Lesson 4
- Activity 2 for Lesson 4
- Homework 4
Lesson 5: Deriving the Vertex Form of a Quadratic Equation
- Lesson 5 PowerPoint: Click on link. Download as a PowerPoint presentation. Do NOT open/download in Google Slides, or formatting and some content may be lost.
- Lesson 5 Instructor Notes
- Activity 1 for Lesson 5 (optional)
- Activity 2 for Lesson 5
- Activity 3 for Lesson 5
- Activity 4 for Lesson 5 (optional)
- Homework 5
Lesson 6: Geometric Meaning of the Quadratic Formula
- Lesson 6 PowerPoint: Click on link. Download as a PowerPoint presentation. Do NOT open/download in Google Slides, or formatting and some content may be lost.
- Lesson 6 Instructor Notes
- Activity 1 for Lesson 6
- Activity 2 for Lesson 6
- Homework 6