The other day, my students spent the day in the computer lab and explored the myriad of web sites on line that let them explore linear equations. I directed them to some fairly decent tutorials, and various online tools that allowed them to physically move lines to explore the effect it had on slope and equations. It was the first time I took them to the lab this year, and thought they would thoroughly enjoy this hands on opportunity. But they blandly went through the tutorials, and some even complained that they would prefer next time to stay in the class room, because it’s more interesting when I explain things to them.
However, the last 15-20 minutes of the day, I directed them to the website below. The student loved it. Many students who struggled with rate of change/slope and writing slope-intercept equations were proficient by the end of class. Unlike most other math “games,” the graphics on this are excellent and students actually enjoy the concept of the game, which is rather strange (which is why they liked it). There are roaches that traverse the coordinate plane at a particular line, for which the students must identify the slope or slope-intercept equation that will exterminate the roaches. They can even choose the method of exterminating the roaches (fumigator, shoe …).
If you don’t have the time to do this during a class period, show the students the site and they will go there on their own time. Many of my students asked me to send them the link at their home address so they could play at home!
