Who knew? Students love growing grass. Let me elaborate…. Students love taking care of their grass as they watch it grow- enough to get them to do some pretty complicated algebra.
What started out as a simple week-long project that incorporated a bit of environmental sciences (my undergrad background) into algebra became a 10-week long project spanning the curriculum from ecology to linear extrapolation. It’s been a long time in the making, but beyond a shadow of a doubt this lesson is one of the most engaging that I have created. My students love the life aspect of the project and hardly complain about doing some pretty complex algebra.
Now, with the magic of a WordPress widget called ”My Shared Files BOX” (on the sidebar), I was able to upload the Growing Grass Project files onto my blog for all to use!
All three files are important, but the excel workbook includes everything the student needs to create a final portfolio piece, including a formatted final excel sheet that the student can type into and cell directions.
I’m very excited about this and hope that if you do use the project, that you will add a comment to this post on how it went. I also have other files that go along with the starter ones I posted.
I guarantee that your students will be engaged in their learning and that you will find ways to link most of algebra 1 to what comes up along the way.
WARNING! This lesson takes on a life of its own! Proceed with caution! 
Now Let’s grow some grass!
p.s. For supplementary files, you can email me at ZeroSumRuler@gmail.com. The files include ones on scatter plots and lines of fit as well as a PowerPoint and activity on linear inter- and extrapolation.
