ALEX Learning Activity

  

Toy Car Measurement Data and Line Plot

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Stephanie Carver
System:Cullman City
School:Cullman City Board Of Education
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2799
Title:
Toy Car Measurement Data and Line Plot
Digital Tool/Resource:
Toy Car Measurement Data and Line Plot Slides
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

In this learning activity, students will use a quality task to measure the lengths of toy cars to the nearest quarter of an inch and record their data in a chart. The class will use this data to create a line plot of the lengths of the toy cars. 
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Mathematics
MA2019 (2019)
Grade: 3
17. Measure lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch to generate data and create a line plot marked off in appropriate units to display the data.
Unpacked Content
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • Measure objects to the nearest 1/2 inch.
  • Measure objects to the nearest 1/4 (quarter) inch.
  • Create a line plot marked off in appropriate units (whole numbers, halves, or quarters) to represent data of several objects.
  • Create a line plot marked off in appropriate units (whole numbers, halves, or quarters) to represent data of repeated measurements.

    • Example: Measuring how far a marble rolls under certain conditions.
Teacher Vocabulary:
  • Halves
  • Fourths
  • Data
  • Line plot
  • Unit
  • Quarter inch
  • Horizontal
  • Partition
Knowledge:
Students know:
  • Nearest half and nearest quarter inch on a ruler.
  • A ruler is a type of number line and shows fraction of 1/2 and 1/4.
Skills:
Students are able to:
  • Measure objects to the nearest half and fourth of an inch.
  • Create a line plot to display the data of the objects measured.
Understanding:
Students understand that:
  • A line plot is a graph that displays a distribution of data values, including whole numbers, halves and quarters, such that each data value is marked above a horizontal line with an X or dot.
  • A ruler is a type of number line partitioned equally and shows halves and fourths.
Diverse Learning Needs:
Essential Skills:
Learning Objectives:
M.3.17.1: Define line plot.
M.3.17.2: Identify the parts of a line plot.
M.3.17.3: Measure objects to the nearest inch.
M.3.17.4: Identify one-inch units on a ruler starting with 0.
M.3.17.5: Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end; understand that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps.
M.3.17.6: Directly compare two objects, with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has "more of" or "less of" the attribute, and describe the difference.

Prior Knowledge Skills:
  • Define length and line plot.
  • Use vocabulary related to comparison of length.
    Examples: longer, shorter, longest, shortest, taller.
  • Demonstrate rounding up to the nearest whole unit on measurement tools.
  • Demonstrate measuring length using standard units.
  • Describe a line plot.
  • Model measuring length using standard units.
  • Identify the object length.
  • Explore objects in relationship to length.
Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
M.AAS.3.16 Measure lengths of objects using non standard tools (paper clips). Limit to whole numbers.
M.AAS.3.17 Using vocalization, sign language, augmentative communication or assistive technology, represent and interpret data on a picture or bar graph when given a model or a graph to complete.
Learning Objectives:

Students will measure toy cars to the nearest fourth of an inch.

Students will create a line plot marked off in appropriate units to display the measurement data. 
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

The teacher will display the first slide of the Toy Car Measurement Data and Line Plot Slides and ask the question, "What are you wondering?" "What do you think this problem is about?"

The teacher will continue through the slides. The class will measure several toy cars to the nearest fourth of an inch and record the data in a chart. The last slide has a line plot for the class to record the measurement data. 

 
Assessment Strategies:

This activity is completed whole-group. Therefore, teacher observation during the lesson and student notebook data will be used as an informal assessment. 
Advanced Preparation:

This entire activity is guided using the slides. The teacher should preview the Toy Car Measurement Data and Line Plot Slides.

Students will need their notebooks. 
Variation Tips (optional):

The teacher may extend this activity by asking questions about the line plot. For example, "Which toy car is the longest? Were there any cars of the same length?"
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

This activity can stand alone or be used as a During/Explore/Explain activity for the following learning activities:

 

Measuring to the Nearest Half and Fourth Inch (before activity)

Pencil Measurement and Data Activity (after activity)
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: data, fourth inch, line plot, measurement