Algebra I Holiday Poem & Song Parody Project
You are all familiar with the poems and songs of the season. Well, it’s that time of year
again. That’s right... Semester Exams are just around the corner!! With all of the warmth
and joy that these exams bring, it seems only fitting that we honor this tradition with
poem and song. Of course, the more vocabulary you use, the more credit you’ll get. You
may do a solo or partners effort (no more than 2 per team), at your option. If you’d like to
write more than one, knock yourself out.
Projects are due on the day of your semester exam in my class, although we’ll hopefully
have a chance to read (sing?) some early entries in class on the last days of class before
exams (extra credit to those who turn their work in BEFORE the due date!!!)
Here are some ideas, feel free to create your own:
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It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Slope-Intercept
Twas the Night Before Algebra Class
Algebra, Oh Algebra (with apologies to Chanukah, Oh Chanukah)
I Saw Mommy Kissing Pythagorus
I Want to Graph This Function (with apologies to “I Have a Little Dreydel”)
(Walkin’ in a) Sloping Wonderland
Grandma Got Run Over By Function Notation
Have Yourself a Merry Little Intercept
Can You Solve What I Solve
I’ll Be In Slope-Intercept Form (with apologies to I’ll be Home for Christmas)
The Twelve Days of Linear Lines
Let Us Graph, Let Us Graph, Let Us Graph (with apologies to “Let It Snow”)
(I’m Dreaming of an) X-Intercept
VOCABULARY LIST
equation/function
relationship
positive/negative/zero
undefined
independent/dependent
domain/range
continuous/discrete
scatter plot
positive correlation
negative correlation
formula/pattern
PEMDAS
symbols/variables/exponents
term
coefficient
real numbers
solve/solution/equals
slope/rate of change/”m”
steepness/flatness
slope-intercept form
y-intercept/constant
initial value/intersect
x-intercept
commutative/associative
distributive
horizontal line
integers
intercepts intersection
like terms
linear equation
ordered pair
parallel lines
perpendicular lines
product/quotient/sum
less than / greater than / equal
reciprocal
rise
run
simplest form
vertical line
x-axis
y-axis
zero
for help with the some of the real lyrics, check out http://www.xmasfun.com/Lyrics.asp
Algebra Semester Project
For the project, you are to write a song, poem, commercial, comic strip, story board…
OR … create an original piece of art (poster, drawing, sculpture, etc.) about Algebra.
You may choose a single topic we have covered this semester, or you may decide to
include several topics from our studies. You will be creating an ORIGINAL work that is
math related. It must make sense. If it is a poem or song, you will need to keep the
rhythm and rhyme scheme. BUT it MUST be ORIGINAL!!! If it is a piece of art, you
will need to include a description of your piece along with an essay as to how you were
inspired and what the piece means. In either case, you will need to include a description
of the vocabulary terms that are used/displayed/depicted.
Examples for song/poem:
Original:
Parody:
“The Three Little Pigs”
“T’was The Night Before Christmas”
Gangnam Style
Thrift Shop
“The Three Little Algebra Students”
“Twas the Night Before Algebra Class”
Quadratic Function Style
‘Thrift Shop’ Algebra Parody (see YouTube)
Examples for art:
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Construct a picture of at least 20 line segments that includes at least 5 vertical, 5
horizontal, 5 lines with positive slope, and 5 lines with negative slope. Sketch the
picture onto graph paper, number each line segment and then write the equation
of each segment and give the appropriate domain and range for each segment.
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Make a mobile that depicts the idea of “balanced equations” using algebra terms
and symbols (must contain a minimum of 20 individually attached items)
Create an original drawing/watercolor/pastel/cartoon strip/etc depicting an algebra
concept or sequence of steps for solving/graphing an equation. Include a written
description of the steps (include a worked example if not already visible in the
art.)
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Projects are due on the day of your semester exam in my class, although we’ll hopefully
have a chance to read/sing/view some early submissions. (Early submission gains you
bonus points too!)
You must decide on your chosen form for the project (song/poem/art/etc) and gain
approval BEFORE you start your project. You will need to inform me of your choice of
project, your partner (if you have one), and gain my approval.
Projects will be turned in via my Dropbox unless other arrangements have been made.
My dropbox can be reached via the website www.pwilliamsalgebra.weebly.com
The password for the Dropbox is above the Dropbox button for quick access.
All projects will be graded with the following guidelines:
1. Your project must be approved prior to starting (10 points)
2. You must incorporate a minimum of 15 algebra or math vocabulary terms. See the
following page for a list of possible terms (15 points.. extra points for extra
terms!!)
3. A TYPED list of the vocabulary terms AND their definitions must be included
upon submission of the project (15 points)
4. For songs/poems: A typed copy of the original lyrics and the parody lyrics (your
“new & improved” lyrics) must be included (35 points)
For art/commercials: A typed description of your piece along with an essay as to
how you were inspired, what the piece means, a description of the vocabulary
terms that are displayed/depicted, and the materials you used (35 points)
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Creativity/Originality (10 points)
Neatness (10 points)
Turned In On-Time (5 points)
Turned In EARLY (5 BONUS points)
Every project will have some form of hardcopy or digital file that you turn in to me.
Be sure that you submit a neat, organized, TYPED, and professional-looking final
product. This should include any of the following related to the type of project you
chose:
A title page (including the names of participants, period, and date)
The lyrics of the original poem/song
Your parody lyrics
A YouTube video address
An in-class performance video recording
A drawing/story board/graph/poster
The list of vocabulary words and their definitions
An essay describing your project (only necessary if you chose the art option)
As a nod to the holidays, you may decide to create a Holiday Parody…. see the attached
sheet. You will still be held to the guidelines above, but you may choose to create a
song/poem based on a holiday classic.