Lesson 9 of 9 Linear Functions 1

Lesson Title: Putt-Putt Golf Course Activity

Creator: Mark Davis (Credit to: Wendy Danna)

Editors: Rebekah Adams, Camila Ash

Standards Met: Extra Curricular

Materials Needed:
1. Worksheet 9.1 (Relates to Activity, the ‘rubric’ that details the components of
a completed putt-putt golf course, given to each student)
2. Scrap piece of paper (Relates to Warm-Up reflection, given to each student)
3. Graph paper (Relates to Activity, used to draw out putt-putt golf course,
given to each student)
4. Colored pencils (Relates to Activity, coloring in putt-putt golf course, given to
each table group)

Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to…

1. Relate the mathematical concepts of linear functions and family/subfamilies
of linear functions to the real-world situation of a putt-putt golf course.
2. Create a putt-putt golf course using the family of linear functions, and
subfamilies of their choosing.

Procedure
Warm-Up: Unit Reflection Entry Slip. – 10 minutes
 This entry slip will help wrap students’ minds around the whole Linear
Functions unit, but will do so without reflecting on specific material needed
for the summative assessment.
 The teacher will place a prompt for the day’s entry slip on the overhead. The
prompt will read as follows: “Thinking back to the past 8 lessons, what do
you consider to be the most important thing you have learned in this unit so
far? Why? Please respond in 3-4 sentences.” Students will be expected to
individually respond to the prompts on a scrap piece of paper that they will
hand in before the activity. To assess students, the teacher will determine if
each student has responded to the prompt, and how many periods are found
in each response.
 Once students have finished, the teacher will ask the class in general what
they wrote down.
o Possible “why” responses may include the following: “because I’ll
need it later in the semester;” “because I’ll use them in science;”
“because it’s applicable to me;” “because I’ll never need to use it
again.”
 The teacher will then respond to each student’s response if appropriate.

Mark Davis
Lesson 9 of 9 Linear Functions 2

Activity: Putt-Putt Golf Course Discovery Activity. – 45 minutes

 This activity will help students to relate the mathematical concepts of linear
functions and family/subfamilies of linear functions to the real-world
situation of a putt-putt golf course, and create a putt-putt golf course using
the family of linear functions, and subfamilies of their choosing.
 Each student will receive a copy of Worksheet 9.1, which provides the
guidelines for creating the putt-putt course. The teacher will walk students
through the worksheet, and provide examples if needed.
 Students will work in their table groups to create an overall putt-putt course
(1 hole per group). However, each student within the group will hand in their
own handmade copy of the graph of the group’s putt-putt course. Also, if a
student wishes to complete the activity alone, they may do so.

Students will not be given homework other than the creation of a putt-putt golf
course. Material will be assessed on whether the finished product created by
students meets the criteria listed on Worksheet 9.1 (see below).

Mark Davis
Lesson 9 of 9 Linear Functions 3

Worksheet 9.1 Name: ________________________________

Today, your goal is to create the blueprint for the most epic of epic putt-putt golf
holes of all time using algebra, linear functions, and graph paper! Below, you will
find the qualifications you need in order to receive credit for your creation in bullet
list. When you have completed each requirement, check it off as a job well done!
While your design can be as crazy as a dragon with a lemon head eating a golf ball,
you must sketch your creation with these restrictions in mind. Your blueprint
should…

_____ … have 3 points for the golf ball to ricochet from. (ex. (x1, y1), (x2, y2), and
(x3, y3) )

_____ … have a record of the function and restricted domain of each line (includes
the course outline, hazards, the path the ball should travel to reach the hole).

_____ … state the point where the hole is. (ex. (x, y) )

_____ … have a 3-word description of each hazard. (ex. “small bunker,” “medium
water hazard”)

_____ … have a 1-sentence description of how level the course is. (ex. “the course
starts out level, dips down, and levels out again.”)

_____ … cover a whole sheet of graph paper.

_____ … have your name at the top of the page.

_____ … have your functions, points, and descriptions on the reverse side of the
graph paper.

*Please turn this sheet in with your completed blueprint.*

Mark Davis