Students will analyze cell phone plans to understand the true costs and create linear functions to model the relationships. They will work in groups to create a brochure and presentation explaining their analysis for parents. Deliverables include a spreadsheet comparing plans, worksheets with calculations, and a presentation to the class and parents on selecting the best cell phone plan.

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Name of Project: Cell Phone Duration: 3 weeks
Subject/Course: Algebra I Teacher(s): Norfar Grade Level: 8th
or 9th
Other Subject Areas: English
Project Idea
Summary of the issue,
challenge, investigation,
scenario, or problem:
All students either have or want a cell phone. Many students do not understand the cost of a cell phone. They often
make decisions based upon the function of the phone or the purchases of their friends. Cell phone companies advertise
their low cost. However, there is more information involved that changes the actual cost of the phone. Students will
need to understand how to look at all of the details of a phone plan to create a function that will better reflect the cost
of the phone service. Essentially, the goal is to have a practical application of linear functions.
Driving Question How can we help our parents select the best cell phone plan?
Content Standards to be
taught and assessed:
1. Interpret functions that arise in applications in terms of the context (F-IF.4-6).
2. Analyze functions using different representations (F-IF.7a.linear).
3. Build a function that models a relationship between two quantities (F-BF.1a).
21st Century Skills to be
taught and assessed:
Collaboration X Other:
Communication (Oral Presentation) X
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
Major Products
& Performances
Group: Brochure
Presentation
Cell phone plan cost analysis (Excel spreadsheet)
Presentation Audience
Presentation Audience:
Class
School
X Class
School
Community
Individual: Cell phone calculations (worksheet) Experts
Web
X Other: Parents

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Entry Event to
launch inquiry,
engage students:
Students watch commercials of cell phone companies that claim to have a better plan. Students discuss in pairs what makes a good cell
phone and cell phone plan. Students share with the entire class. This information is placed on a flipchart and displayed for the duration of
the project.
Assessments Formative
Assessments
(During Project)
Quizzes/Tests X Practice Presentations X
Journal/Learning Log X Notes
Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes Checklists X
Rough Drafts X Concept Maps
Online Tests/Exams Other: Cell calculation practice/spreadsheet X
Summative
Assessments
(End of Project)
Written Product(s), with rubric:
Brochure
X Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with
rubric:______________________________________________
Oral Presentation, with rubric X Peer Evaluation X
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test Self-Evaluation X
Essay Test Other: Cell phone calculation X
Resources
Needed
On-site people, facilities: Marketing/PR person
Equipment: Laptops, calculators
Materials:
Community resources: Cell phone pamphlets
Reflection
Methods
(Individual,
Group, and/or
Whole Class)
Journal/Learning Log X Focus Group
Whole-Class Discussion X Fishbowl Discussion
Survey Other:

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Project: Cell Phone
Major Product(s) and
Presentation
students need to complete
Knowledge and Skills Needed by Students
to successfully complete major
products and presentations
Scaffolding / Materials / Lessons to be Provided
by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
mentors, community members
Brochure Creating/designing a brochure in Word. è Learn elements of design from a marketing/PR person
or professor. Examine various brochures to identify
elements of design. Brainstorm in teams the main
components of their brochure. Create a draft of
brochure. Receive feedback from peers and experts.
Provide a template brochure that students can edit.
Provide a printed tutorial and an online tutorial for using
Word. Identify word savvy students that can be utilized
as experts through a short survey through the remote
response system.
Basic team and management skills è Create team contract. Complete fishbowls to model peer
review and creating a team consensus.
Presentation Creating visual aids for a presentation. Format to a
presentation.
è Discuss in teams and class the major elements that must
be in their presentation.
Speaking to an audience. è Have a speaker from toastmasters inform students about
public speaking. Practice at least three times before
formal presentation.
Proper dress for a presentation. è Help students get proper clothing through thrift stores
and donations.

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Project: Cell Phone
Major Product(s) and
Presentation
students need to complete
Knowledge and Skills Needed by Students
to successfully complete major
products and presentations
Scaffolding / Materials / Lessons to be Provided
by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
mentors, community members
Cell phone plan cost
analysis (spreadsheet)
Creation of a table in Google spreadsheets è Students’ accounts created in Google. Lesson on editing
in Google spreadsheet. Assignment where students
create a spreadsheet of cell phone plans that include the
company, type of cell phone plan (ind./prepaid/family),
monthly cost, minutes, overrate charge, additional costs
and cost of cell phone.
Interpret functions that arise in applications in terms of
the context (table). Analyze functions using different
representations (table).
è Lesson on analyzing information provided in tables.
Assignment on analyzing information in the cell phone
spreadsheet.
Cell phone
calculations
(worksheet)
Build a function that models a relationship between two
quantities.
è Lesson on basic parts to a linear function and how to
create a function from a table of information. Practice
assignment on creating functions from a set of
information. Assignment on creating functions from the
information in the spreadsheet.
Analyze functions using different representations. è Lesson on converting the functions created into a
graphic representation. Discussion of the connections
between the graphs, table and functions. Assignment on
creating graphic representations in a graphing calculator
or Google spreadsheet.
Interpret functions that arise in applications in terms of
the context (equation and graph).
è Lesson on verbally describing the functions, table and
graphs of the cell phone plans. Assignments of
explaining the various results of cell phone plan cost.

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Project: Cell Phone Time Frame: Three weeks (45 min class periods)
M O N D A Y T U E S D A Y W E D N E S D A Y T H U R S D A Y F R I D A Y
P R O J E C T W E E K O N E
Notes: Sample cell phone brochures or links to plans, computer cart, google spreadsheet, rubrics, team contracts, group task list and KWL form.
Pre-assessment on
interpreting, building and
analyzing functions, and
creating equations. The
assessment is entitled
“Linear Relationships Pre-
assessment”.
Entry Event: Commercial
discussion
Know/Need to know list
Project teams announced
Review/discuss
expectations for team
work
First team meeting: roles
and contract
Explanation of project
details
Explanation of rubrics
Team meeting: create
group task list
Collaboration assessment
Lesson: Elements of design
& public speaking from a
Market/PR and toastmaster
person
Team/individual work:
Take notes; review work
samples; work on drafts
Homework: Work on draft
of brochure & presentation
Lesson: Functions and
equations
Team/individual work:
Create cost analysis/
Fishbowl-interaction
online; Research cell
phones; project work report
Homework: Complete table
and research, if applicable
Collaboration assessment
P R O J E C T W E E K T W O
Notes: Brochure template(s), table/graph template, computer cart and post it notes.
Lesson: Functions and
equations
Team/individual work:
“Cell phone bill”
assignment; draft of
brochure and presentation
Homework: Complete
worksheet, if applicable
Lesson: Functions and
equations
Team/individual work:
“Math calculations for total
cost” assignment; draft of
brochure and presentation
Homework: “Math
calculations for total cost”
worksheet 2
Lesson: Functions and
equations
Team/individual work:
Create calculations from
six cell phone companies;
draft of brochure and
presentation
Homework: Calculations,
if applicable
Collaboration assessment
Checkpoint: Collect
calculations
Team/individual work:
Peer review calculations
Homework: None
Collaboration assessment
Checkpoint: Teams meet
with others to critique work
/Fishbowl-critiquing.
Team/individual work:
Work on brochure &
presentation/project work
report
Homework: Work on draft
of brochure & presentation
Collaboration assessment

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Project: Cell Phone page 56
M O N D A Y T U E S D A Y W E D N E S D A Y T H U R S D A Y F R I D A Y
P R O J E C T W E E K T H R E E
Notes: Clothing, computer cart, copies of final brochures and assessment forms.
Checkpoint: Teacher &
marketing rep reviews
drafts of brochures and
presentation
Team/individual work:
Work on brochure and
practice presentation
Homework: Work on
brochure/presentation
Checkpoint: Written
assessment “Linear
Relationships”.
Team/individual work:
Work on brochure and
practice presentation
Homework: Work on
brochure/presentation
Collaboration assessment
Team/individual work:
Practice presentation/final
peer review
Homework: Work on
brochure/presentation Presentation Day
Self and Peer Assessment
Project Debrief and
celebration
P R O J E C T W E E K F O U R
Notes: