These materials are designed for Algebra 2 teachers looking to add a project-based approach to their existing practice. In a few class periods, students will have learned all of the programming they need to explore quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, and periodic relationships in data.
Attention CA teachers! Schools across CA are re-imagining Algebra 2 and Integrated Math 3 using these materials, using Data Science to enhance the traditional math sequence with real data and inquiry…without sacrificing standards. If your district is interested in offering "Algebra 2/IM3: A Data Science Approach", contact us to see the CA A-G course approval paperwork.
These were initially developed thanks to a NSF grant, in partnership with Educational Development Center and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Lesson Plans
- Introduction to Data Science
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Students learn about Categorical and Quantitative data, are introduced to Tables by way of the Animals Dataset, and consider what questions can and cannot be answered with available data.
- Simple Data Types
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Students begin to program, exploring how Numbers, Strings, Booleans and operations on those data types work in a programming language. Booleans offer an excellent opportunity for students to explore the meaning and real-world uses of inequalities.
- Contracts: Making Tables and Displays
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Students learn about functions for sorting and counting data in tables, then are introduced to one-variable displays.
- Exploring Linear Models
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Students use linear models to investigate relationships in demographic data about US states using an inquiry-based approach, involving hypothesizing, experimental and computational modeling, and sense-making.
- Exploring Quadratic Models
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Students investigate quadratic relationships in data about Fuel Efficiency, using an inquiry-based model, involving hypothesizing, experimental and computational modeling, and sense-making.
- Row and Column Lookups
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Students learn how to extract individual rows from a table, and columns from a row.
- Exploring Exponential Models
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Students investigate exponential relationships in data about Covid spread, using an inquiry-based model involving hypothesizing, experimental and computational modeling, and sense-making. They are introduced to table transformations and inverse functions, which are used to fit exponential models onto nonlinear data.
- Exploring Logarithmic Models
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Students investigate logarithmic relationships in demographic data about countries of the world, using an inquiry-based model, involving hypothesizing, experimental and computational modeling, and sense-making.
- Exploring Periodic Models
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Students investigate periodic relationships, first by deciphering the patterns in a dataset with perfect periodic (sinusoidal) behavior and then by looking at data about Carbon Dioxide, using an inquiry-based model involving hypothesizing, experimental and computational modeling, and sense-making.
Student Workbooks
Sometimes, the best place for students to get real thinking done is away from the keyboard! Our lesson plans are tightly integrated with a detailed Student Workbook, allowing for paper-and-pencil practice and activities that don’t require a computer. That’s why we provide a free PDF of the core workbook, as well as a link to the book with every optional exercise included.
Of course, we understand that printing them yourself can be expensive! Click here to purchase beautifully-bound copies of the student workbook from Lulu.com.
Other Resources
Of course, there’s more to a curriculum than software and lesson plans! We also provide a number of resources to educators, including standards alignment, a complete student workbook, an answer key for the programming exercises and a forum where they can ask questions and share ideas.
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Contracts Reference — Complete student-facing documentation for all the functions used in these lessons (also printed in the back of the student workbook).
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Glossary — A list of vocabulary words used in this pathway. We also provide a bilingual glossary, which defines all vocabulary words across our lessons in English and Spanish.
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Standards Alignment — Find out how our materials align with National and State Standards, as well as some of the most commonly used math textbooks.
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Teacher-Only Resources — We also offer several teachers-only materials, including an answer key to the student workbook, keys to all the exercises, and pre- and post-tests for teachers who are participating in our research study. For access to these materials, please fill out the password request form. We’ll get back to you soon with the necessary login information.
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Online Community (Discourse) — Want to be kept up-to-date about Bootstrap events, workshops, and curricular changes? Want to ask a question or pose a lesson idea for other Bootstrap teachers? These forums are the place to do it.
These materials were developed partly through support of the National Science Foundation, (awards 1042210, 1535276, 1648684, 1738598, 2031479, and 1501927). 
Bootstrap by the Bootstrap Community is licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 Unported License. This license does not grant permission to run training or professional development. Offering training or professional development with materials substantially derived from Bootstrap must be approved in writing by a Bootstrap Director. Permissions beyond the scope of this license, such as to run training, may be available by contacting contact@BootstrapWorld.org.