This project is always extremely fun for the students. I start out by giving them a picture of a smiling star on graph paper and have them find the equations of all the lines. Once they have found all the equations, we discuss what exactly makes the calculator only draw a portion of the line. They figure out pretty quickly that they must restrict the domain of each equation to be able to draw only the portion needed. Then I have the students type these equations into the Desmos program and they watch how the star takes shape. Once all the groups have drawn the star, we review on how to find the equation of quadratic functions. They use this process to help them draw the smile on the star.
Once we have completed this introduction, I begin explaining to them their six weeks project. I go over all the instructions and the rubric for this project. I explain to them that they can choose to create any picture that they want and they can work towards whatever grade they would like. As to be expected, the higher the grade, the more challenging the project. Once they are completed with drawing their picture in Desmos, they must find a digital program that colors and they must color their project. They must also write me a reflection of the entire project. In this reflection they need to tell me why they picked the picture they did, if they enjoyed the project and why, and what parts did they struggle with. Below are just a few examples of some of their projects with the equations.
I am really proud of how these students performed. I believe this project teaches them more than just how to manipulate graphs, I believe that it teaches them how to problem solve, persevere, and how to manage their time. Below are a few of their reflections.
- “I did enjoy this! I like to draw but I never can find time to do it without feeling bad about not doing other work. Doing this project gave me the opportunity to draw without feeling guilty. I also liked coloring it, I did it in Medibang Paint Pro. It’s my favorite digital art program and it was easier to use that over MS Paint. All in all, a very fun project! I can see myself doing something like this in my free time.”
- “I really enjoyed this project because it was fun to use math to create such a cool picture. I had never realized how versatile and complex equations and lines could be, but this project opened my eyes to the possibilities. It also gave me a newfound respect for animators who use a similar process to create movies. Overall, I really enjoyed this project. It was really cool to use something I had previously thought to be only used in math to create a work of art.”
- “My favorite part of the project was the picking of the the subject. Though I did redo my project multiple times with starting out with a NFL logo. I eventually ended on doing a guitar I own and play. I feel like choosing this was fun because I could do anything I wanted. Plus I play and write songs on my guitar so it added some sentiment to the project.”
My Journey with Digital Learning and Leading 