Math-in-CTE Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Rise and Fall of Body Temperatures
Occupational Area: Health
CTE Concept(s): Temperature
Math Concepts:
Graphing whole numbers
Lesson # H03
Lesson Objective:
Student will demonstrate a working knowledge of:
 Collecting accurate data
 Identifying scale intervals
 Understanding graphing terminology
 Plotting data on a graph
 Students will be able to accurately measure a
patient’s temperature
 Students will be able to accurately record a
patient’s temperature
Supplies Needed:
Pencils/Pens, paper, thermometers, vital graph
records, alcohol, overhead transparencies,
tissues, gloves, worksheets, and graph paper
Overhead Projector
Computer for PowerPoint (optional)
Transparency of a thermometer or a large 3’
visual
Overhead projector pens
Watch with a second hand
Waste container
Simmers, L. M. (2003).
Diversified Health
Occupations. (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY:
Thomson Delmar Learning.
Link to Accompanying Materials:
Health Occupation H03 Downloads
THE "7 ELEMENTS"
1. Introduce the CTE lesson.
TEACHER NOTES
(and answer key)
NOTE: At beginning of class hand out a
reading sample as pre-assessment of
knowledge (worksheet #1). It should
relate to the reading assigned the night
before
from
your
textbook
that
corresponds to this lesson. (see attached
as a sample from Diversified Health
Occupations 6th edition pg.351,367)
One of the skills that we are going
to need to know as a health care
provider is vital signs. One of the
major components of vital signs is
temperature. It is important to
measure a patient’s temperature in
order to identify the possible
disease processes that may be
occurring. Vital signs are often the Health Concept(s):
first indication of disease and
abnormality
in
the
patient. Measuring, analyzing
Temperature is defined as “the temperature.
1
and
recording
balance between heat loss and Math Concept(s):
heat produced by the body”. This Plotting graphs, charts, data analysis, and
process
involves
reading
a problem solving
thermometer and plotting the
results on a graph to document the
information.
2.
Assess students’ math Sample answers:
awareness as it relates to the
CTE lesson.
The teacher will ask the students 1. 96 - 99 F or 36.5 - 37.2 C or 97 100 F or 36.1 - 37.8C (range varies
the following questions:
according to reference)
1. Does anyone know what the
2. The small lines are two-tenths (.2) of a
"normal" body temperature is?
degree and the large lines are a full
2. Looking at large (class sized)
degree.
thermometer, can you tell what 3. Rulers, scales, number lines, and
the units represent?
blood pressure cuffs
3. Where else do you see units of 4. Temperature, sales, newspapers,
measurement similar to this
statistics, television, and schools
being used?
4. Outside of this classroom
Math Vocabulary:
where else do you see graphs
Scale - An arrangement of numbers in
being used?
some order at uniform intervals.
5. Can you define the following
Interval - A set of points between two
terms:
points.
Scale, Interval, Axis,
Horizontal Axis, Vertical
Axis - The lines that divide the coordinate
Axis, Plotting,
system
Coordinate
X (Horizontal) axis - horizontal line that
in the health care is placed at the top
instead of at the bottom.
Y (Vertical) axis - vertical line.
Plotting - Marking points in a coordinate
system.
Coordinate – An ordered pair of numbers
that locates a point on the graph with
reference to the x and y axes.
3.
Work through the math
example embedded in the CTE
lesson.
Thermometer Reading
1. Demonstrate to students with
1. Ask students other forms of scales that
2
the thermometer transparency
#1 that the thermometer has a
series of long and short lines.
Each long line is a whole
degree and has 4 short lines
behind it, then one long line,
then 4 short lines. These are
the intervals. Now turn the
thermometer so that you can
see the scale numbers. They
go from 94 to 106, by twos (9496-98, etc).
we use everyday. Such as rulers, liquid
measuring
cup,
intake
graduate
container, etc. Point out that all types of
scales represent some form of intervals.
Example: rulers show intervals in inches
or centimeters and liquid measuring cups
show intervals using ounces, and
thermometers show intervals using
degrees. NOTE: Not all thermometers
begin and end with the same numbers.
Some begin at 94 and some begin at
96.
2. Each short line represents twotenths of a degree (0.2º, 0.4º,
0.6º, or 0.8º)
3. Use a large (3' long) unmarked
thermometer or a transparency
of an unmarked thermometer.
Have students correctly identify
the temperature when pointing
to a line.
4. Looking at a thermometer, first
you must find the interior
alcohol line. Hold the
thermometer up to the light &
turn it slowly. Look for the dark
line running through the middle.
5. Now turn the thermometer so
that you can see the scale
numbers. Remember, the
numbers listed go from 94 to
106, by twos (94-96-98, etc).
The small lines represent .2
(two-tenths). The patient
temperature is red at the end of
the dark line.
6. Handout a worksheet (see
worksheet 2) and students will
have to correctly fill in the blank
areas on the scale.
3. If you do not have a large visual
thermometer then you may make a
transparency out of the thermometer in
transparency #2 and make copies of
transparency #2 to hand out to students.
Then identify a line on the thermometer
and call on students to identify the correct
temperature. While pointing to a
particular temperature, have students
verbalize proper temperature.
6. Hand out worksheet 2 and have
students complete. Teachers may need
to help lower level students.
Answers for 1-10 need to be done on a
worksheet.
11. – 20.: 95.6, 97, 98.2, 99.2, 100.4,
101.6, 103, 104.2, 105.8, 106.4
3
Graphing the results
1. Demonstrate to the students
either on an overhead or on the
whiteboard the differences in the
set-up of the axes in math vs.
health.
 In health care, we place the
horizontal or X-axis at the
top of our graph sheet
instead of at the bottom as
in math.
1. Make sure to point out to the students
the difference between what the axes
represent. In the health field the x-axes
always represents the date and time.
The y-axes always represent actual vital
sign results.
Y-Axis
X-Axis
Math
X-Axis
Y-Axis
Health
2. Use sample blank graphic
chart (transparency 3) to explain
how the chart is completed.
Working with the health students
identify the following areas on the
chart; name, doctor, room number,
hospital number, date for each 24hour period.
2. Ensure students understand note
charting is not done until patient
identification is on the page. Dates also
need to be filled in across the page.
3. Make sure to point out to students that
3. Using the same blank in math the term graph is used and in
transparency use the following health the term chart is used.
sample data to ask students where
to graph or chart in proper location.
Once the coordinates are plotted,
connect in a straight line.

At 8:00 a.m. 1st day
temperature is 98.6

At 4:00 p.m. 1st day
temperature is 100
4
4.
Use sample graphic chart
4.
Answers to transparency #4 (from left
(transparency 4) to ask students to right):
what the plotted temperature
99, 99.8, 98.6, 101, 102.2, 100.2,
coordinates represent.
100, 101, 100.8, 99.8, 100.8, 99,
97.8, 98.6, 98.2, 98, 97.8
Use the following examples with the
students on the overhead or the
whiteboard.
Introduce two different ways to write a
division problem. 9/5 and 9
5 and state
that each ways means 9 divided by 5.
Converting Temperatures
1. To convert from Fahrenheit to
Celsius temperature: subtract
32 from, the Fahrenheit temp,
and then multiply the result by
5/9
2. To convert from Celsius to
Fahrenheit temperature:
multiply the Celsius
temperature by 9/5 and then
add 32 to the total.
4. Work through related,
contextual math-in-CTE
examples.
1. Use sample graphic chart
(transparency 5) to ask
students what the plotted pulse
coordinates represent.
2. Use sample graphic chart
(transparency 5) to ask
students what the plotted
respiratory coordinates
represent.
5. Work
through
traditional
math examples.
1. Using the calorie chart, find the
number of calories in a fruit
salad made from 3 apples and
5 bananas.
9/5= 1.8 and 5/9 = 0.5556
1. For example, to convert 212 F to
Celsius, subtract 32 from 212 to get
180, then multiply 180 by 5/9 to get
the Celsius temperature of 100.
2. For example, to convert a Celsius
temp of 37 to Fahrenheit, multiply 37
by 9/5 to get 66.6. Then add 32 to the
66.6 to get the Fahrenheit
temperature of 98.6.
1.
Answers to transparency #5 (from
left to right):
82, 88, 84, 98, 100, 96, 83, 88, 85,
80, 88, 80, 78, 78, 75, 73, 70, 68
2. Answers to transparency #5 (from left
to right):
18, 20, 12, 20, 24, 18, 15, 15, 12, 18,
15, 15, 15, 14, 16, 14, 14
*If you need an extension: distribute
plain graph paper to allow students to
create their own graph.
Basic Skill Level
1. Calories from apples; 70  3 = 210
Calories from bananas 100  5 = 500
Total: 710 calories
5
Calorie Chart
Food
Calories
Bread Slice
55
Apple
70
Banana
100
Egg
110
Average Skill Level
2. On Monday the average
temperature was – 10 F. On
Tuesday it was – 15 F. On
Wednesday it was 13 F. On
Thursday it was 0 F. Graph
the temperatures on a number
line. Label the values.
2. _______________________
-15 -13 -10
0
Tue Wed Mon
Thur
Higher Skill Level
3. ____
-35
States
Temperatures
California
 5 C
Nevada
10 F
Georgia
20 C
3. a. Use a number line to graph
the temperatures in the chart.
Label each temperature with
the name of the state where it
was recorded.
b. Which state recorded the
lowest temperature?
_
-25
______
-15
N G
0
5
C
b. The state with the lowest recorded
temperature is Nevada. Teachers: in
order to obtain the correct answer,
students must convert all temperatures
to Celsius.
To convert -10 F to Celsius, subtract
32 from -10 to get -42, and then
multiply by 5/9 or 0.5556 to get the
Celsius temperature of -23.
6. Students demonstrate their Worksheet number 3 is basic skill level.
understanding.
Worksheet number 4 is average skill
See attached worksheets numbers level.
3, 4, 5.
Worksheet number 5 is higher skill level.
7. Formal assessment.
See assessment worksheet 6.
6