Lesson Planning - Rational Functions continued

Day 1 on Rational Function is tomorrow.

Students will share their research on cantilevers.  That will take only a few minutes.  I want students to think briefly about the possible variables in designing a cantilever.

Then we will build our own spaghetti cantilevers.  Students will measure the deflection in centimeters as they hang a weight on the end of spaghetti.  The variable will be the number of spaghetti pieces.  We will start with just one piece, then a bundle of 2 pieces, then 3, 4, 5, up to 8 pieces of spaghetti.  If our data collection is clean we will get data that creates a rational function curve.  This activity will serve as the introduction to the function. 

As we analyze our data, I want to make a connection to the concept of reciprocals.  We will examine the linear parent function and what happens when we graph it's reciprocal.

Last, I've prepared a guide for students to examine the transformations - what happens to the parent function when a, h, or k are involved using desmos.  I'm hoping students will have time to start the exploration in class and will finish it for homework.