Shell Graphing

Designed by: Cindy Page    School: Burton-Pack Elementary

Grade Level: 5     Subject(s): Math

Core Curriculum Objective(s):Identify and graph coordinates on a rectangular coordinate system and/or first quadrant of the coordinate plane. (5GS2-3)

 Overview: Students will explore a coordinate grid and its four quadrants. They will trace sea shells in each of the four quadrants and label the ordered pairs. Students will write a paragraph which will explain the steps which they followed to complete the project.

Focus/Essential Question(s): What are ordered pairs of numbers? What is a coordinate grid? How do we show ordered pairs on a coordinate grid?

Time Frame: Three one-hour classes

Resources/Materials: 
bag of sea shells 
graph paper 
overhead projector 
markers 
glue 
overhead polygons 
construction paper (13x18) 
paper 
pencil 
paper 
overhead pens 
overhead transparency of a coordinate grid (without numbers)

Culminating Assessment: Students will graph a sea shell in the four quadrants of a coordinate grid. They will label the points which lie on the traced shape. They will then write a paragraph explaining how their sea shell graphs were completed. The paragraph will give a detailed description of the steps taken to complete the sea shell graphing. They will glue the graph and the paragraph on a large sheet of construction paper. The teacher will use two rubrics for scoring, one for the sea shell graph and one for the paragraph.

Graphing Rubric

Paragraph Rubric

Instructional Activities: 

ACTIVITY ONE: (Students should have prior experience with ordered pairs.) Display an ordered pair of numbers and call on students to explain how to locate the point on a grid. Remind students that there is a vertical axis (x) and a horizontal axis (y) and that where the two meet is labeled as (0,0).

Display a coordinate grid on the overhead with the x axis and y axis in boldface print. Ask students to identify what is missing from the grid. (numbers) Call on students to label the positive numbers for both the x axis and the y axis. 

Ask students if the labeling is now complete. (no) Remind students of a number line which includes negative numbers. Add the negative numbers to the x axis and call on students to label the y axis. Identify the four quadrants of the coordinate grid.

Place an overhead polygon in Quadrant I of the grid. Trace around the shape and ask students how to identify a point which lies on the traced shape. Call on students to identify points which lie on the traced shape and to point to the exact place where the identified point is on the grid.

Trace another shape in one of the remaining quadrants. Again, call on students to identify points which lie on the traced shape and to point to where those points are in the grid.

ACTIVITY TWO: Distribute square graph paper to the students. Ask students how to locate the x axis and y axis on the graph paper. (fold in half twice) Separate students into pairs and allow pairs to fold their graph paper and trace the x axis and y axis. Working together, students will label both the x axis and the y axis.

Display a bag of sea shells. Remind the class about the overhead shape which was traced and how the points were labeled. Allow students to reach into the bag and select a sea shell of his/her choice. Each student will trace around the sea shell in each of the four quadrants. Pairs of students will work together to assist each other as needed.

The teacher will circulate around the room assisting with the labeling of points as needed. When pairs have finished with the labeling, one student will get a package of markers (crayons) and bring it to their work area. Students will highlight the points and sea shell outline with markers (crayons). (Caution students to not write the numbers of the labeled points, since that may make them difficult to read-only the points and the sea shell should be colored.)

ACTIVITY THREE: Students will be assessed as described in the Culminating Activity and using the rubrics. Call on students to recall how the sea shell pictures were created, paying attention to the exact sequence. Distribute paper to students and ask them to write a paragraph which explains how the pictures were created. As students finish their paragraphs, they will share their paper with a partner. Partners will work together to revise and edit the paragraphs.

Students will write final copy after revising and editing the paragraph. Distribute construction paper and glue to pairs of students. Students will glue their sea shell pictures and their paragraphs to the construction paper.

Score the graphs and the paragraphs as stated previously in the lesson. (see #6- Culminating Activity)