Teaching Tips: Location Graphs

Before the activity
You may wish to have students complete this activity in pairs or small groups. This way, they will be encouraged to ask questions of one another and defend their interpretations.

During the activity
Make sure students can justify their selections. You can use the following questions and suggestions to assess their understanding:

• What does the steepness of the slope on a line graph tell you about the rate of change? What does a change in slope tell you? Give specific examples from one of the locations featured in this activity.
• What other relevant questions could you have asked about each graph besides those answered by the hints and explanations?
• What was your argument for choosing the location you did when identifying each graph?
• How did you justify your selection?

After the activity
Ask students to create their own line graph that represents activity during a day at a commonly known location. (If time and logistics permit, you can also include data gathering as part of this activity.) Be sure they provide appropriate elements on the graph, including labels for the axes, hints, and explanations. The explanations should demonstrate their reasoning for choosing the number of people present at each hour.