Visual Patterns Warm Ups - focus on the patterns that are proportional & multiple representations

Percent Problem Warm Ups - a warm up in the first part of the unit that focuses on percent problems 

would prepare students to be more proficient at the middle of the unit.  Try” I have… who has…”

Pattern blocks - can be used to show proportional relationships when considering the number of sides.

VISUALS How can bar models help students understand percent markup & percent discount while avoiding a common mistake?  See slides 82-92.

VISUALS See slides 71-81 to see how finding common denominators to divide makes sense visually, and complex fractions can actually make the division easier instead of harder in this context.

ACTIVITY  Using the Sun & Proportions to Calculate Heights.  Have students measure their heights, the shadows of something too tall to measure, and the shadows of something shorter than themselves, and the actual height of the shorter object.  This can be a good excuse to go outside.  Students can use proportions to find the unknown heights, and it gives an opportunity to use measurement conversions too. By comparing the shorter object’s actual height to the calculated height students can engage in finding the percent error.  Students can draw pictures of themselves versus  the taller object with the sun and themselves versus the smaller objects with the sun while drawing the similar triangles and showing the calculations for each.  Lesson(s) to follow.  Allow multiple days.