Coordinate PLANES: Paper Airplanes from Linear Equations

Graph, fold, and fly! If the students graph all the lines correctly, their worksheets will fold up into paper airplanes.

Students get plenty of practice with graphing linear equations and using slope-intercept form.

This activity is a fun way for your class to practice using slope of a line and graphing lines using Slope-Intercept Form. One version also includes reflections of lines on the coordinate plane.

Students graph lines and complete a short worksheet, then follow the directions to fold along their lines to create a paper airplane.

Three versions of the worksheet are included:

* In the first version of the worksheet, some lines are graphed using a given equation, and some are graphed by reflecting a previous line. Students then must give the equation of the reflected line.

* In the second version, all lines are graphed using a given equation in slope-intercept form. Students also complete a chart identifying the slope and y-intercept of each line.

* In the third version, some equations must be manipulated before they are in slope-intercept form. Then students can graph the lines.

Choose the version that is appropriate for your class (or some of each for easy differentiation). Print one worksheet and one coordinate plane sheet per student.

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Reviews from other teachers:

- My students loved doing this assignment. It looks at slope of a line many different ways. Afterwards, we had an airplane race which gave them motivation to complete the work!

- I like the fact that there's an easier or harder version based on where the students are in their experience with linear equations. They liked the fact they got to make a paper airplane. There is one set of lines that is hard to see to make the last fold, but they figured it out!

- My 8th graders LOVED this activity, I actually allowed them to make paper airplanes in class! In addition to graphing and folding, we had a mini competition to see which plane flew farther.

- My students liked this activity (they got to throw paper airplanes, what's not to like?). It was great for me to easily see if they were accurately graphing their lines.

- This resource has different coordinates to allow for differintation with in the activity. My students loved having a plane to "fly" at the end of the activity.

- This was perfect for a summer enrichment class I taught. We practiced graphing, then after they graphed all the lines, we had a contest to see who could throw the plane the furthest off of the second floor of our building. So fun and good practice. Thanks!

- My students looked forward to having a plane throwing competition at the end of the activity. That seemed to propelled them forward through graphing the equations. A lot of students learned a new way to make a paper airplane.

- This activity gives s a break fromt he classroom. The 1st day we will work the problems and draw our lines. Then the next day we finish our lines and go to the playground and throw them. This is a great reinforcement activity.

- What a great way to incorporate graphing and graph paper with something students would enjoy! I already have students who fold and make paper airplanes, but this will be a learning activity with a fun result! Yay!

- I loved how there were tiered levels of this graphing activity. We graphed this as a whole class activity and were able to have several great discussions about: What does y= 18 and x=0 look like? How do you graph a slope of 7/8 when your y intercept is at the tops of the graph and you can't ride from that point? What can you tell me about the line that have a slope of 7/8 and -7/8, what do you notice? Great discussions all around. Bonus of the activity when you let the student fly their planes around the classroom!

- My students, especially the boys, loved this resource! When I told them we would be going to the gym and flying our airplanes at the end they were 100% engaged! Can't wait to use this again!

- This was a challenging activity for some students but they all loved it! I printed them on multiple colors if paper. Then we took a field trip outside to see who's flew the farthest, straightest, etc. Also, made for great pictures to post on our schools twitter page!

- This had my kiddos engaged from the first minute! That was not an easy task considering it was the end of school and their brains had already checked out. I had them work in teams on this (incorporating a little differentiation as well as some social interaction!). Thank you for products that I can always count on to deliver rigor as well as engagement. You are one of my most valuable resources and I am awed by all that you do. Happy summer!