Ready for your introduction to slope lesson? Have you ever tried explaining the concept of slope to a middle school or high school class and watched their eyes glaze over? Trust me, I’ve been there. But what if I told you that teaching slope could actually be… fun? Let me share some tips and tricks I’ve used in my classroom to make learning about linear equations and the slope of a line not just educational, but also engaging and relatable for 7th and 8th grade students.
The first time I taught slope, I was honestly a little confused myself! LOL But these days, I have a pretty good grasp on it.
Before I begin my lesson, I show a GoPro ski video. Towards the end, it appears that the skier is going off a cliff (he is) but he has a parachute! It hooks students in and then they wonder why the heck we’re watching it. I then ask students if they’ve ever been skiing and I give them an opportunity to share about their experience.
After the video, I share the story of my first and last time skiing. I was a total newbie, thinking bunny slopes would be a piece of cake. Spoiler alert: they weren’t! They tell you to form a ‘pizza’ with your skis to stop, but let’s just say my pizza-making skills needed work. Picture me, sprawled in the snow, but hey, I’m no quitter. Fast forward, I’m toppling off a ski lift (did you know those things don’t stop?!) and eventually scooting down the mountain. Bottom line? This hilarious, slightly embarrassing story is my go-to for explaining different slopes. It’s a hit every time!
This anecdote isn’t just for laughs. It’s a perfect segue into discussing different types of slope using a presentation in Google Slides.
When we talk about the positive slope, it’s like going up the ski lift – exciting and upward!
The negative slope? That’s the scary, downward plunge.
Zero slope is the boring walk from one slope to the next, and undefined slope… well, think about tumbling off the side of a mountain. This story not only breaks the ice but also gives a visual and emotional connection to the slope concepts.
So this is your sign to go skiing so you have a story to tell!
This anecdote isn’t just for laughs. It’s a perfect segue into discussing different types of slope using a presentation in Google Slides.
Incorporating technology like Google Slides into your lesson plans is a great way to keep students engaged. They can interact with the material, and it’s a fantastic tool for visual explanations of linear functions. In this self-checking Google Slides activity, students practice identifying the Types of Slope from a given graph.
The slope formula tends to confuse students because they are so stuck on how we graph an ordered pair and the fact that you go left/right and then up/down on the y axis. However, slope is the opposite! I always start by explaining how you must rise in an elevator before running to your location. We talk about the vertical change (rise) over the horizontal change (run), relating it to steps taken up or down and sideways.
If you can, try to show students how slope intercept form applies to real life, like calculating the cost of phone plans or the speed of a car. This approach turns abstract concepts into something tangible and easier to grasp. I also like to explain that “m” is used for slope because it stands for monter in French which may or may not mean mountain. I may or may not have made this up…
Slope is closely related to proportional relationships and unit rate. Use examples like comparing distances traveled over time or cost per item to make these connections clear. This not only reinforces the concept of slope but also ties in with Virginia and common core standards. For students in need of support, this proportional relationships bundle for 6th grade students would be an excellent introduction to slope.
Thankfully, there isn’t just one way to teach slope. Students will usually catch on with one of the ways. For visual learners, graphing is a great way to see and understand slope. For those who prefer formulas, the slope formula works best. And for those who love stories, anecdotes like my ski trip can be a memorable method.
It is critical to spend ample time practicing the many skills related to slope. Independent work is great but I also love group work. Small groups work wonders. Let students collaborate and solve problems together. This encourages discussion and helps them learn from each other. I often use inquiry activities where students discover the slope concept through guided questioning. This multiple representations matching activity REALLY helps the lightbulb go off for my students!
At the end of the lesson, I love to give an exit ticket to gauge student understanding and inform my lesson for the next day.
Teaching the concept of slope doesn’t have to be hard! Get creative and be patient! Grab this DONE FOR YOU lesson that is complete with guided notes and activities to help you teach slope of a line with ease. We all know practice makes perfect. I include a variety of practice problems in my lesson plans, from simple calculations to finding the slope from a graph. Make sure to have answer keys handy for quick checking.
With the right approach, resources, and a bit of creativity, you can transform this fundamental topic into an enjoyable and enlightening lesson for your students.
I hope you try some of these ideas the next time you teach your introduction to slope lesson!
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I started The Sassy Math Teacher in 2020 to help teachers like you increase classroom engagement and teach with confidence!
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2 Responses
I love these tips! And the ski video is such a great visual way to introduce slope. Thank you for this! Even the idea that m means mountain. I can’t believe I’ve never thought of that! Students often have a hard time remembering that it means slope since m has no connection to slope. Can’t wait to teach this lesson in a couple of weeks!
Yay!! I’m so happy that I could help, happy teaching!! 🙂