One of my absolute favorite concepts in the world to teach is slope. I don’t know what it is about slope, but I have an absolute blast convincing students that slope doesn’t have to be scary. Plus, it involves introducing them to Slope Dude. And, in my book, any lesson that makes the slightest mention of Slope Dude is a winner.
Hello, I am the person who has WWSDS What Would Slope Dude Say Posters hanging in her classroom.
I guess I should warn you about side effects of hanging these posters in your classroom, though. I hung them up part way through our slope unit in Algebra 1 without comment. I just waited for students to notice them. They did.
They also started hypothesizing the meaning behind the letters. In fact, all of my classes noticed them. And, it was just too tempting for them to not try to guess what they must stand for.
The letters were just beckoning to them to figure their meaning out. It makes me wish I could figure out more ways to harness my students’ curiosity like this.
My first period class decided they must mean “What Would Satan Do Seriously?” This led to numerous (very untrue!) rumors about my being a worshiper of Satan. Yeah…
Free Download of WWSDS What Would Slope Dude Say Posters
WWSDS Posters (PDF) (1030 downloads )
WWSDS Posters (Editable Publisher File ZIP) (748 downloads )
Want more posters? Check out my posters page!
More Activities for Teaching Slope
- Average Rate of Change Self-Checking Question Stack Activity
- Finding Rate of Change from a Graph Hole Punch Activity
- Slope Treasure Hunt Activity
- Calculating Slope and Intercepts Foldable
- Finding Slope Foldable
- Four Types of Slope Graphic Organizer
- Rate of Change Interpreting Graphs Practice
- Rate of Change Graphic Organizer and Practice Problems
- Finding Slope and Intercepts Foldable
- Interpreting Slope and Intercepts Foldable
- Calculating Rate of Change from a Graph Practice Book
- Crow and the Pitcher Activity for Introducing Rate of Change
- Calculating Rate of Change from a Table or Set of Points Practice Book
- The Adventures of Slope Dude Posters
- Slope Dude Says
- Finding Slope from a Table or Set of Points Notes
- Slope Concept Map
- Finding Slope from a Graph Graphic Organizer
- Interpreting Slope from a Graph or Table Practice Book
- WWSDS What Would Slope Dude Say Posters
- Slope Art Assignment
- Four Types of Slope Foldable
- Four Cars Task for Introducing Rate of Change
- Slope and Intercept Practice Poof Book
- Four Types of Slope Name Art Activity
- Rate of Change Graphic Organizer
- Rise Over Run Reminders
- Slope Between Two Points – Around the Room Practice Activity
- Four Types of Slope Pictures
- Slope Foldable
- Slope Tree Method for Teaching 4 Types of Slope
Beth Hatfield
Sunday 11th of February 2018
Sarah, Thank you again and again! I love all of your resources and blogs! Thanks for inspiring all of us!
Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove)
Wednesday 9th of May 2018
Thanks for reading my blog!
Unknown
Thursday 19th of February 2015
Hi Sarah,
I always love your creative lessons! I actually just did some parts of your Road Trip Project with my 7th grade class last week. My students LOVED it as a review of cross multiplying and proportions in a real world situation. They also were conveniently studying the 50 states in Social Studies class and it worked out perfectly.
The idea of Slope Man is genius, especially as I am about to start my linear equations unit. I am already brainstorming ideas of how I can integrate arts and technology with this for my classroom, primarily with some iPad use. I also want to see how I can get students to expand on their drawings to explain how they know and maybe make up a rule or trick Slope Man can help with. Take the 4th example from the bottom of your pictures, the monster like eating drawing, in it there is a mouth with two lines that cave in, yet one is positive and the other negative. Why is this? How do we know? Now students will have a visual representation but a fun "smartcut" to remember it.
Thanks again - your blog rocks! -Ashley
Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove)
Thursday 19th of February 2015
Hi Ashley,
Thanks so much for your kind words! I'm so glad you've been able to use some of my ideas in your classroom! And, I love the idea of having students come up with "smartcuts!" Hope your school year is going well!
Unknown
Wednesday 18th of February 2015
Hi Sarah,
We used Slope Man last year and it was a great success. This year I want to integrate the arts into my classroom more. I can't wait to assign this as homework and see what my students come up with.
Thanks, Pamela
Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove)
Wednesday 25th of March 2015
Very cool website! Thanks for sharing!
Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove)
Thursday 19th of February 2015
Integrating arts is an awesome goal. Good luck!
Sarah Chupp
Friday 30th of January 2015
We love slope dude! My students have decided that the only way slope dude could be better would be to have Morgan Freeman narrate. Ha!
Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove)
Thursday 19th of February 2015
Oh my goodness. That would be amazing! :)
Jan Lichtenberger
Thursday 29th of January 2015
I did this activity with my students last year except they had to have 5 lines. Instead of writing positive slope many of my students said it was a puff puff slope! LOL.
Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove)
Thursday 19th of February 2015
That's awesome!