Lesson Plan: Gradient of Curves
This lesson plan includes the objectives, prerequisites, and exclusions of the lesson teaching students how to estimate the gradient of a curve at different positions and how to deduce the general behavior of the gradient.
Objectives
Students will be able to
- understand that the gradient of a curve at a given point is equivalent to the gradient of the tangent to the curve at that point,
- estimate the gradient of a curve at different points using tangents,
- deduce the general behavior of the gradient of a curve and use this to calculate the gradient at a given point.
Prerequisites
Students should already be familiar with
- equations of straight lines,
- finding the gradient of a straight line,
- tangents.
Exclusions
Students will not cover
- the formal definition of a derivative,
- differentiation.
