Polynomials Unit - First Half Synthesis and What I used.

Hi all!

I thought I would share with you today about the unit I am teaching in my classroom. We are on our polynomials unit which I have broken down into features of polynomials and operations with polynomials.

Last week, we focused on features of polynomials. I started the unit out with my Polynomial Investigation. This is packet that begins with key vocabulary and terms and then the second half is a students centered investigation. The first half included strategies like the Frayer model shown below to help students really understand key vocabulary.

There we also many pages of notes and pictures for students to read through and learn. I taught this by using my document projector to project the packet up onto the board. I went through the first half of the packet with students because I wanted to make sure they had the correct definitions and were understanding how to do the practice problems.

The second half of the packet was a polynomial investigation which had students use technology to graph polynomials from 2nd degree to 6th degree, describe intervals of increase and decrease, roots, extrema, end behavior, vertices, etc. This was all discussed in the first half of the packet. The end of the packet helped students discover the relationship between roots and degree and vertices/extrema and degree. 

The students enjoyed being able to graph on their own and work with one another. This was extremely successful.

Their homework was then to do my Polynomial Coloring Activity

Students were to color key parts of the graphs I gave them with the indicated colors and then identify specific information. The hands on and visual aspect of this activity made students really grasp the concept. 

At the end of the week, students took the Features of Polynomials Quiz and did amazing on it! I was so pleased with the scores and how well students understood the concepts and material. This was a very successful first half of a unit!

We are now on operations of polynomials and I hope that this half is just as successful as the first half!