I recently created a course based off of Desmos activities. The course provides supplementary once-a-week content to the Introduction to College Math course at Nevada State College. The outline of the course is below.

Course Outline

Students should bring laptops or tablets to every class. They can work in pairs, but they will need a computer.

Prior to each class period you will create each activity using your account at teacher.desmos.com. Send students to student.desmos.com, and have them enter the codes you give them for each activity. These exercises are supposed to be exploratory in nature. Students will learn how Desmos can help them to answer their questions and they will become comfortable learning math and expressing their answers.

Note that students must create their own Desmos account if they want to save their work for future use. You have to create each of the activities before class using the links below.

Friday 1

1. Review how to solve a linear equation such as $5-2x=-1$. Then solve a linear inequality such as $5-2x\ge1$. Then turn students loose on the Desmos activity Thinking Mathematically.
2. Ask students for examples when equations show up in real life. Try to make them be specific. Have them complete the Desmos activity Applications of Linear Equations.

Friday 2

1. Review the idea of slope and how to find the equation of a line using the point slope form of a line \(y-y_1=m(x-x_1).\) Then have students complete the activity Slope.
2. Remind the students how to use function notation to evaluate a function $f(x)=x^2-3x$ at several values. Then move on to the activity Intro to Functions.
3. Use the remaining class time to review for the QUEST.

Friday 3

1. Show how to plot linear inequalities in the plane such as $2y-4x\ge6$. Then jump into the activity Linear Inequalities.
2. Show several examples of how to convert exponential expressions to logarithmic expressions such as $3^2=9\Leftrightarrow \log_3 9=2$. Try to get them comfortable evaluating logarithmic expressions such as $\log_2 8$ on their own. Then try the activity Exponential and Logarithmic Functions.

Friday 4

1. Start with a nice algebra activity Central Park. This task is a great opportunity to drive home the usefulness of algebra.
2. Spend the rest of the class reviewing for the upcoming QUEST.

Friday 5

1. Ask the class to tell you the difference between exponential growth and linear growth. Discuss what the functions might look like and situations where each type of growth would occur. Then try the activity A Growing Population.
2. Work through the activity Penny Circle.

Friday 6

1. It’s important to understand the relationship between a model and the thing that we are modeling. For some practice try activity Function Carnival.
2. Talk about plotting points in the plane. Show students how to create a table in Desmos and then connect the consecutive points in the table. Then do the activity Animation.

Friday 7

1. Have students work through the activity Water Line.
2. Spend the rest of the time reviewing for the upcoming QUEST.

Friday 8

1. Review Pythagorean Theorem. Work out some examples. Then try the activity Pythagorean Theorem Proof.
2. Now that we have mastered Pythagorean Theorem, it is time to tackle the distance formula. Do the activity Distance Formula.

Friday 9

1. Sometimes we need to use geometry to come up with a model. Try activity Area vs Perimeter.
2. Spend the rest of the time reviewing for the upcoming QUEST.

Friday 10

Spring Break

Friday 11

1. We have been asking Desmos to find the formulas for our models, but we can often find them ourselves. Try the activity Find My Pattern.
2. Return to the idea of modeling by discussing what a mathematical model looks like and how it can be obtained from scratch. Ask for examples. Then try the activity Slicing Circles.

Friday 12

1. They should be getting comfortable using Desmos to answer questions by this time. Challenge them to complete the activity Squares in a Grid. Limit the activity time to 30 minutes.
2. It’s time to review lines again. Divide the class up into some teams and have them find equations of lines between points. Then try the activity Putt Putt Golf.
3. Spend the rest of the class period reviewing for the upcoming QUEST.

Friday 13

1. Now they can really put their line skills to use in the activity Marbleslides Lines. This is a fun activity that they should really get into.

Friday 14

1. Turn the students loose on the activity The Biggest Pen.
2. Briefly discuss how a line can be used to model data in a scatter plot. Then do activity Best Fit Lines.

Friday 15

1. We close the semester by using our geometry kung fu to create a model and put it to use. This activity is something of a capstone of all the skills they have practiced throughout the semester. Go to the activity Laying Cable and talk through the problem on the first screen with the students to make sure they understand the task.
2. Devote the rest of the class to reviewing for the QUEST.