Halloween Analytic Geometry Review Activity

This is a Halloween review activity where students will answer analytic geometry questions and collect candy on the Smartboard.  (This is the Halloween version to an Easter activity post. If teaching in the fall this context makes more sense otherwise in the spring use the Easter activity instead at this link - they are the same questions in both activities)

 MPM1D

• determine, through investigation, the characteristics that distinguish the equation of a straight line from the equations of nonlinear relations
• identify, through investigation, the equation of a line in any of the forms y = mx + b,             Ax + By + C = 0, x = a, y = b
• express the equation of a line in the form y = mx + b, given the form Ax + By + C = 0
• determine, through investigation, various formulas for the slope of a line segment or line and use the formulas to determine the slope of a line segment or a line
• identify, through investigation with technology, the geometric significance of m and b in the equation y = mx + b
• identify, through investigation, properties of the slopes of lines and line segments
• graph lines by hand, using a variety of techniques
• determine the equation of a line from information about the line
• describe the meaning of the slope and y-intercept for a linear relation arising from a realistic situation
• construct tables of values, graphs, and equations, using a variety of tools to represent linear relations derived from descriptions of realistic situations

• 49 Halloween containers (find at a Dollar store)
• analytic geometry questions
• solution handout
• Smartboard
• Smart Notebook file with score board
• whiteboard and markers (optional)
• Halloween decorations (optional)
• prizes for winning team (optional)

1. Cut out questions and place one in each of the 49 containers.
2. Spread out containers on a table and add some Halloween decorations (optional).
3. Bring up the scoreboard on the smartboard.  (Could create your own scoreboard if a smartboard is not available)
4. Place students is groups and give each student a whiteboard and marker.
5. Have each group choose a Halloween bag from the scoreboard.
6. One student from the group will come up and choose a container.  They will bring it back to their group where all members will answer the question inside.
   
7. One person will then come and check their answer with the teacher.
8. The teacher will check off that the group has answered that question.  
9. The student will then drag a candy to their bag on the smartboard.  Questions with no pumpkins are worth 1 candy, questions with 2 pumpkins are worth 2 candies and questions with 3 pumpkins are worth 3 candies.
10. Have students place the question back in the container and choose another one.  (Answered questions with container should be put to the side and put back in circulation when containers get low.)
11. The group who collects the most candy will win.  

 Note:  There are some special cards that students will find. Tap bags 1, 3, 6 or 8 on the Smartboard to play Halloween music.

To see the activity in action with an applied class (with proportional reasoning), go to this post (ie it runs the same way but with different questions) 

• Analytic Geometry Halloween questions (pdf) (doc)
• Analytic Geometry Halloween solutions (pdf) (doc)
• Halloween scoreboard (Smart Notebook file) (not)

Did you use this activity? Do you have a way to make it better? If so tell us in the comment section. Thanks