UMF

Unit-Wide Lesson
Plan Template

Name: Nicole Brewer Program: SED Math Course: EDU 460

Lesson Topic / Title: Solving Exponential Equations and Inequalities

Lesson Date: 3/7/2019 Lesson Length: 80 min Grade/Age: Grades 9-11

Learning Objectives & Content Standard Alignment - Selects, creates, and sequences learning
experiences and performance tasks that support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals
based on content standards.
Learning Objective(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
• I can solve exponential equation and inequalities. • Students need to understand
how to manipulate numbers to
make them easier to solve
equations.

Content Standard(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
• Is skilled at solving advanced equations. • Students can apply their
• Is skilled at solving advanced inequalities. understanding of exponential
equations and inequalities to
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSA.SSE.B.3.C solve compound interest
Use the properties of exponents to transform problems which they may
expressions for exponential functions. For come upon in real life.
example the expression 1.15t can be rewritten as
(1.151/12)12t ≈ 1.01212t to reveal the approximate
equivalent monthly interest rate if the annual rate
is 15%.


CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSA.CED.A.1
Create equations and inequalities in one variable
and use them to solve problems. Include
equations arising from linear and quadratic
functions, and simple rational and exponential
functions.

Assessment - Uses assessment flexibly to expand and deepen understanding of learner performance
and determines best supports for continued learner growth.
Assessment Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
• Formative Assessment over content will be on the • The formative allows me to
next class day. spot any misunderstandings or
• Self/Peer Assessment during worksheet to check common themes that can be
each other’s answers and understanding. addressed on an individual or
class basis.
• Having them check their work
with a classmate ensures that
most everyone gets their

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answers checked. This means

that if they are getting things
wrong their partner can help
them or they can come ask for
help and it is identified early
on.
Instructional Materials and Resources - Stays current in content knowledge and expands expertise in
reviewing instructional materials from the perspectives of both the discipline and individual learner
needs.
Materials, Resources, and / or Technology Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

Materials • The students use their iPads to
• 4 Worksheet take notes and work on
• Notes worksheets in an app called
Technology Notability. This allows them to
• iPads always have their notes with
• Laptop them if they have their iPad.
Notes are done in slide shows
so that students can use them
as guided notes and can focus
more on what’s being said.

Instructional Methods: Selects, creates, and sequences learning experiences and performance tasks
by using a variety of instructional approaches, strategies, and technologies that make learning
accessible to all learners and support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals.
Teaching and Learning Sequence Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
1. Warm-Up (10) • The warm up and formative
2. Formative (10) allow students the opportunity
3. Question (5) to review what they learned in
4. Notes (20) the last class. They also allow
5. Answer Question (5) the teacher to check students
6. Activity (15) understanding of the topic
7. Reminders (5) covered.
• Starting the notes with a
• Have students work on warm up then go over it, question gets them thinking
after hand out the formative. about how what we are
• Pose question tell them not to say anything out learning can help them answer
loud but just to think of what they would want. it. It also gives them a real life
“What would make you the most money? connection to what they are
Investing $1,000 in an account that earns 10% learning.
interest for 5 years, or 5% interest for 10 years? • Having the notes be in
(both are compounded monthly) slideshow form makes them
• Go over notes guided notes that allows
• Pose question again this time allow for discussion students to focus more on
and math. This helps to break preconceptions that listening than on writing.
interest rate or time play a bigger role in money • Giving them time at the end of
earned. class to work allows them an
• Count off the class so they are split in half. Half of opportunity to get ahead of the
the class will work on worksheet A, the other on work and ask questions if they
B. Explain to them that when they are done they get confused.
need to find someone with the opposite • Allowing them to collaborate
worksheet and check their answers. If they don’t to check their work gets them
have the same answer for something they should talking about what they did
and their thinking. It also a

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work through both problems together to find the way for them to assess
mistake. themselves and they work they
• End class to remind them that they need to do the did.
inequalities problems on the homework and IXL
S.13 up to a 50.
Meeting students’ needs (differentiation, extensions, Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
modifications, accommodations)
• Printing the worksheet so if they don’t have their • Sometimes students iPads
iPad or its dead they can still participate in class. aren’t working or they don’t
• Challenge Worksheet have a charger. It is easy to just
print off the papers so that the
student can still get the work
done.
• Creating an alternate
worksheet that would be more
challenging for the students
who already showed in the
pre-assessment that they
understood how to solve
exponential equations.


Field Courses Only – Post lesson

Reflection
The direct instruction portion of the lesson went alright, and then once the students
had independent work time some of them were not taking full advantage of it. I
think that choosing to go to the section of the notes about compound interest before
lunch was a good way to use the time we had. The notes went well but the hook
question didn’t really engage them. I think that it didn’t apply enough to their lives
and if I were to do it again I would find a different question.

They seemed to have figured out solving exponential equations and did well with
checking their work with each other. Many of them didn’t do the IXL though so it
was hard to gauge their understanding of compound interest. None of the students
picked the challenge worksheet which was surprising because many of them said in
their survey that they were bored and wanted to be more challenged in class. If I
were to do something with a challenge again I would probably assign it to the
students who showed me that they had already met the standard.

When they took the formative, 10 students got a 3, 7 got a 2.5, 2 got a 2, and 1 got a
1. Most of the students met or partially met the standard. The student who received
a 1 didn’t pay attention during the warm up and didn’t ask any questions. This
student also was involved in the drama festival over the weekend and didn’t take
time to the homework. They always do the work eventually but they don’t like to do
it in class. Notes were written on the formatives so that students would know what
they did wrong and could ask for clarification or explanation.

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Teaching Standards and Rationale

Standard #1 Learner Development
Challenge Worksheet
Rationale:
I decided to develop the challenge worksheet because in the pre-assessment a few
students showed that they already understood the content. Those students have
also identified in their surveys that I had them take early on that they don’t see the
point in doing work sometimes because it is too easy. I created this worksheet to
support them and allow them the chance to challenge themselves.

Standard #3 Learning Environment
Checking work with a peer.
Rationale:
Having the students work on two different worksheets that have the same answers
allows them to work independently, but then come together to check their work
and work through problems that they might have done wrong together. This also
motivates them to do the work because they have to be able to share their answers
with someone else.

Standard #5 Innovative Applications of Content
Hook Question
Rationale: The hook question points out to students that what we are learning is
something that they can apply to their life directly. In their future they are going to
take loans or invest money and understanding compound interest will help them. It
also challenges ideas that they might have had about whether time or interest rate
play a bigger role in investments.

Standard #7 Planning for Instruction
Challenge Worksheet
Rationale:
Several students already made the connection on how to solve exponential
equations and the worksheet would not be a challenge for them so I created an
alternate one that students can choose to do if they would like to be challenged. I
was able to do this because of the knowledge I gained from the pre-assessment
done at the end of the last unit.

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