“Human” Sized Coordinate Graph Game

“Human” Sized Coordinate Graph Game

Make a “human” sized coordinate graph by placing tape on the floor for the x and y axis. Label the quadrants. Have a student stand at the origin, tell them the ordered pair.

Then the student will tell you if they move left/right on the x-axis based on +/- and then if they go up/down on the y-axis based on +/-.

When the student is done moving the rest of the class states if they moved correctly.

Rebecca Davis sets up a coordinate plane on the floor of her classroom. Groups of 3 or 4 students are assigned equations in slope-intercept form and graph them using their bodies on the giant coordinate plane. As extensions, Ms. Davis changes the slope or y-intercept of the original equation and makes the activity into a race.

Lesson Objective: Students graph a line given slope-intercept on a giant coordinate plane
Common Core Standards: Math.8.EE.5

Adaptations:

Lisa Laney – In my class we call this the Human Graph! After a lesson and an assignment using slope intercept, I will introduce the Human Graph. We warm up graphing on white boards and then volunteers step up to become the graph. Later we revisit the Human Graph when solving systems. I use a group of girls for one equation and boys for the other. It’s interesting when they find the point of intersection.

Wendy Lessard – In My 8th grade per-algebra students loved this. It helped to clear their misconceptions, and showed me exactly who understood the concept, and who didn’t. I took it a step further by having 2 teams graph parallel lines so we could compare the slope and y intercepts – and I did the same for perpendicular lines. Also, helped to understand undefined slope and zero slope.

I made it competitive by having 2 teams at a time graph different equations – they absolutely loved it.

I then used it for algebra I class by having them graph point slope form vs slope intercept. Also did it competitively.

SVaneck – Since I introduce the concept of integers to my 6th graders, I do something along this line. I tape out the room into the 4 quadrants, give them each a half a deck of cards. They turn over one card of their partial deck on cue and the rule is: if it is a red card, it is negative, black, it is positive, hearts go to the quadrant 1, diamonds go to the quadrant 2 etc. They must then find a partner in their quadrant and create their ordered pair. We then check (they self-regulate a lot) to see if everyone is correct before we turn over the next cards.

“Go Graph Yourself and See!”