It's Time for a Little Spaghetti...
The following activity is geared towards an eighth grade mathematics classroom. Students will examine the patterns and elements of a linear relationship through the mock application of a process typically used by engineers. It is essential for students to recognize and apply this patterns and its elements according to the NYS Mathematics Standards for Grade 8. They will suspend a "bridge of spaghetti" using paper cups. They will then count how many pennies it would take to break a bridge of one strand of spaghetti, two strands, three strands, etc. Using this data students will examine the concept such as, slope, y-intercept, equation of a line both conceptually and contextually. There are a few ways in which this activity can be implemented, depending upon your particular class. These ideas are included in the Power Point below.