Domain & Range Tool

I blogged about this domain & range tool a bit in a post this summer  but today I used it in the classroom and it was really great and I wanted to share this again with updated pictures to show how it worked out.

Domain and range from a graph can be quite tricky. I do this with my advanced algebra one group. This domain & range finder tool is a great way to visualize the domain & range.

They did have some homework last night that involved identifying which graphs are functions and trying to determine the domain & range of each (we had already defined domain & range and even filled in the DIX ROY bit the last class). Most kids came in to class today saying they didn't understand the homework. After going over homework we created our domain & range finder tool.

This tool can be a little "fussy" and I warned the students that today is a bit "artsy-craftsy". I really avoid doing anything too complicated with my foldables - there is the danger of it becoming a folding-cutting class rather than an algebra class. So I prepare quite a bit ahead of time. And I time the cutting and folding tasks to be done while I check homework and help students out in their small groups so it doesn't take away as much instruction time.

I also prepped by photocopying and doing some preliminary cutting with my paper cutter - so worth the time investment.

First everyone gets a pre-cut domain & range finder tool (we only have to fold it):





And an envelope foldable (partially pre-cut) and two strips of domain & range cards (8 cards all together).

We folded the tool and the envelope and glued everything in our notebooks before proceeding.

I walked through three cards with them, showing how to use the tool and how it helps us find the domain & range. So cool. So visual.





They had to finish the other five cards.

Then do the purple graphs on their notebook pages.

Then go back and do the back of the homework (some really challenging ones on that!).

As students worked I displayed answers via my document camera. More practice on a HW worksheet. Quiz next class!

All my documents can be found HERE. 

The original idea comes from math=love http://mathequalslove.blogspot.com/2013/08/algebra-2-interactive-notebook-pages.html - thank you again!  So many wonderful ideas in her blog. And she inspired me to do this blog to share my materials.