I love using real data in my classes but it's usually easier said than done. I don't have any fancy pants TI-NSpire calculators with little WiFi receivers that transmit data instantaneously to all my students (if anyone wants to buy me a classroom set I would send you a thank you card and a drawing from each of my toddlers). I've tried with regular graphing calculators but it takes almost an entire class period to get the data to everyone. This means I generally don't use student created data as much as I'd like.
This year I'm doing something different. I bit the bullet and signed up for the computer cart for a couple days. On day 1, we introduced transformations using Desmos. After playing around with it for 5 mintues we explored different parent functions and their generalized forms: y=x and y=a(x-h)+k, y=x^2 and y=a(x-h)^2+k, and y=2^x and y=2^(x-h)+k. On day 2 we looked at data using Geogebra files I created beforehand (see below). Each of the files is based off the video of a basic event.
At this point you need to know I am a complete Geogebra newbie. I had to look up how to get the spreadsheet numbers to show up as points. If I can do it, you can do it.
Based on the student questions over these last several days, this is probably the best students have understood the concept of function translations and transformations after the initial introduction.
This year I'm doing something different. I bit the bullet and signed up for the computer cart for a couple days. On day 1, we introduced transformations using Desmos. After playing around with it for 5 mintues we explored different parent functions and their generalized forms: y=x and y=a(x-h)+k, y=x^2 and y=a(x-h)^2+k, and y=2^x and y=2^(x-h)+k. On day 2 we looked at data using Geogebra files I created beforehand (see below). Each of the files is based off the video of a basic event.
At this point you need to know I am a complete Geogebra newbie. I had to look up how to get the spreadsheet numbers to show up as points. If I can do it, you can do it.
Based on the student questions over these last several days, this is probably the best students have understood the concept of function translations and transformations after the initial introduction.
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