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Precalculus>Trigonometric Functions>Graphing Sine and Cosine
Unit 0: Prerequisites
Day 1: The Cartesian Plane
Day 2: Equations of Circles
Day 3: Solving Equations in Multiple Representations
Day 4: Reasoning with Formulas
Day 5: Quiz 0.1 to 0.4
Day 6: Linear Relationships
Day 7: Reasoning with Slope
Day 8: Set Notation
Day 9: Quiz 0.5 to 0.7
Day 10: Unit 0 Review
Day 11: Unit 0 Test
Unit 1: Functions
Day 1: Functions and Function Notation
Day 2: Domain and Range
Day 3: Rates of Change and Graph Behavior
Day 4: Library of Parent Functions
Day 5: Transformations of Functions
Day 6: Transformations of Functions
Day 7: Even and Odd Functions
Day 8: Quiz 1.1 to 1.6
Day 9: Building Functions
Day 10: Compositions of Functions
Day 11: Inverse Functions
Day 12: Graphs of Inverse Functions
Day 13: Piecewise Functions
Day 14: Quiz 1.7 to 1.11
Day 15: Unit 1 Review
Day 16: Unit 1 Test
Unit 2: Polynomial and Rational Functions
Day 1: Connecting Quadratics
Day 2: Completing the Square
Day 3: Polynomials in the Short Run
Day 4: Polynomials in the Long Run
Day 5: Review 2.1-2.4
Day 6: Quiz 2.1 to 2.4
Day 7: Factor and Remainder Theorem
Day 8: Factor and Remainder Theorem
Day 9: Complex Zeros
Day 10: Connecting Zeros Across Multiple Representations
Day 11: Intro to Rational Functions
Day 12: Graphing Rational Functions
Day 13: Quiz 2.5 to 2.9
Day 14: Unit 2 Review
Day 15: Unit 2 Test
Unit 3: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
Day 1: Exponential Functions
Day 2: Graphs of Exponential Functions
Day 3: Compound Interest and an Introduction to "e"
Day 4: Review 3.1-3.3
Day 5: Quiz 3.1 to 3.3
Day 6: Logarithmic Functions
Day 7: Graphs of Logarithmic Functions
Day 8: Logarithm Properties
Day 9: Solving Exponential and Logarithmic Equations
Day 10: Quiz 3.4 to 3.7
Day 11: Exponential and Logarithmic Modeling
Day 12: Unit 3 Review
Day 13: Unit 3 Test
Unit 4: Trigonometric Functions
Day 1: Right Triangle Trig
Day 2: Inverse Trig Ratios
Day 3: Radians and Degrees
Day 4: Unit Circle
Day 5: Unit Circle
Day 6: Other Trig Functions
Day 7: Review 4.1-4.6
Day 8: Quiz 4.1 to 4.6
Day 9: Graphing Sine and Cosine
Day 10: Transformations of Sine and Cosine Graphs
Day 11: Graphing Secant and Cosecant
Day 12: Graphing Tangent and Cotangent
Day 13: Quiz 4.7 to 4.10
Day 14: Inverse Trig Functions
Day 15: Trigonometric Modeling
Day 16: Trigonometric Identities
Day 17: Unit 4 Review
Day 18: Unit 4 Review
Day 19: Unit 4 Test
Unit 5: Applications of Trigonometry
Day 1: Law of Sines
Day 2: The Ambiguous Case (SSA)
Day 3: Law of Cosines
Day 4: Area and Applications of Laws
Day 5: Vectors
Day 6: Review 5.1-5.5
Day 7: Quiz 5.1 to 5.5
Day 8: Polar Coordinates
Day 9: Equations in Polar and Cartesian Form
Day 10: Polar Graphs Part 1
Day 11: Polar Graphs Part 2
Day 12: Review 5.6-5.9
Day 13: Quiz 5.6 to 5.9
Day 14: Parametric Equations
Day 15: Parametric Equations (With Trig)
Day 16: Unit 5 Review
Day 17: Unit 5 Test
Unit 6: Systems of Equations
Day 1: What is a Solution?
Day 2: Solving Systems with Substitution
Day 3: Solving Systems with Elimination
Day 4: Review 6.1-6.3
Day 5: Quiz 6.1 to 6.3
Day 6: Solving Systems in 3 Variables
Day 7: Solving Systems in 3 Variables
Day 8: Partial Fractions
Day 9: Unit 6 Review
Day 10: Unit 6 Test
Unit 7: Sequences and Series
Day 1: Introducing Sequences
Day 2: Using Sequences and Series to Describe Patterns
Day 3: Arithmetic Sequences and Series
Day 4: Review 7.1-7.2
Day 5: Quiz 7.1 to 7.2
Day 6: Geometric Sequences and Finite Series
Day 7: Infinite Geometric Sequences and Series
Day 8: Proof by Induction
Day 9: Proof by Induction
Day 10: Quiz 7.3 to 7.5
Day 11: Unit 7 Review
Day 12: Unit 7 Test
Unit 8: Limits
Day 1: What is a Limit?
Day 2: Evaluating Limits Graphically
Day 3: Evaluating Limits with Direct Substitution
Day 4: Evaluating Limits Analytically
Day 5: Evaluating Limits Analytically
Day 6: Review 8.1-8.4
Day 7: Quiz 8.1 to 8.4
Day 8: Continuity
Day 9: Continuity
Day 10: Intermediate Value Theorem
Day 11: Intermediate Value Theorem
Day 12: Review 8.5-8.6
Day 13: Quiz 8.5 to 8.6
Day 14: Limits at Infinity
Day 15: Unit 8 Review
Day 16: Unit 8 Test
Unit 9: Derivatives
Day 1: Introduction to Derivatives
Day 2: Average versus Instantaneous Rates of Change
Day 3: Calculating Instantaneous Rate of Change
Day 4: Calculating Instantaneous Rate of Change
Day 5: The Derivative Function
Day 6: The Derivative Function
Day 7: Review 9.1-9.3
Day 8: Quiz 9.1 to 9.3
Day 9: Derivative Shortcuts
Day 10: Differentiability
Day 11: Connecting f and f’
Day 12: Connecting f and f’
Day 13: Review 9.4-9.6
Day 14: Quiz 9.4 to 9.6
Day 15: Derivatives of Sine and Cosine
Day 16: Product Rule
Day 17: Quotient Rule
Day 18: Review 9.7-9.9
Day 19: Quiz 9.7 to 9.9
Day 20: Unit 9 Review
Day 21: Unit 9 Test
Unit 10: (Optional) Conic Sections
Day 1: Intro to Conic Sections
Day 2: Defining Parabolas
Day 3: Working with Parabolas
Day 4: Quiz 10.1 to 10.3
Day 5: Defining Ellipses
Day 6: Working with Elllipses
Day 7: Defining Hyperbolas
Day 8: Working with Hyperbolas
Day 9: Quiz 10.4 to 10.7
Day 10: Unit 10 Review
Day 11: Unit 10 Test
Learning Targets
Understand that sine and cosine functions can be graphed by plotting angles on the x-axis, and ratios on the y-axis
Explain why the range of sine and cosine is [-1,1]
Use amplitude and period to describe key characteristics of the parent functions sin(x) and cos(x)
| Tasks/Activity | Time |
|---|---|
| Activity | 30 minutes |
| Debrief Activity | 5 minutes |
| Important Ideas | 5 minutes |
| Check Your Understanding | 10 minutes |
Activity: Spaghetti Waves
Lesson Handouts
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Answer Key
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Homework
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Our Teaching Philosophy:
Experience First,
Formalize Later (EFFL)
Learn More
Experience First
Today we have another hands-on lesson where students create the graphs of sine and cosine using the unit circle and uncooked spaghetti. In addition to the spaghetti students will need either glue or tape to secure the spaghetti lengths onto their graphs. In this activity, students will learn that the cosine and sine values found on the unit circle can be plotted as outputs of a function where the input is the angle. They will break off spaghetti according to the appropriate lengths on the given unit circle and these spaghetti pieces will represent the y-values on the graph. During the activity portion, students think about low points and high points and how long it takes for the graph to start repeating before being introduced to the formal vocabulary of amplitude and period (and range) in the debrief.
Formalize Later
The trickiest cognitive challenge in this lesson is the idea that the input and x-axis variable is the angle and the output or y-axis variable is the cosine or sine ratio. Students that rely heavily on the “x is cosine”, “y is sine” shortcut may struggle to graph the cosine as an output. For this reason we have emphasized in all previous lessons that sine and cosine represent ratios of sides, and that ratio is easiest to see when the hypotenuse is 1, in which case the legs of the triangles themselves represent the sine and cosine values. Although it might seem tedious, be precise in your language around sine and cosine. Clarify that on the unit circle* the x-coordinate represents the cosine and the y-coordinate represents the sine, and when the hypotenuse is 1*, the adjacent side represents the cosine and the opposite side represents the sine.
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