Solving for Unit Rates (Introduction)
A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively
engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.
You may save this Learning Activity to your hard drive as an .html file by
selecting “File”,then “Save As” from your browser’s
pull down menu. The file name extension must be .html.
This learning activity provided by:
Author:
YVETTE AKRIDGE
System: Andalusia City School: Andalusia City Board Of Education
General Activity Information
Activity ID:
2821
Title: Solving for Unit Rates (Introduction)
Digital Tool/Resource: Solving Unit Rate Problems/PBS LearningMedia
Web Address – URL:
Overview: In this learning activity, students will learn a strategy for solving unit rate problems from the PBS video. In the accompanying classroom activity, students watch the video and then calculate and compare unit rates. The students will share solution strategies and consider ways that unit rates can facilitate making comparisons. To get the most from the activity, students should be comfortable finding equivalent fractions and have had some exposure to the concepts of ratio and unit rate.
Associated Standards and Objectives
Content Standard(s):
Mathematics 1. Calculate unit rates of length, area, and other quantities measured in like or different units that include ratios or fractions.
Unpacked Content
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
Compute a unit rate for ratios that compare quantities with different units.
Determine the unit rate for a given ratio, including unit rates expressed as a complex fraction. Teacher Vocabulary:
Unit rate Ratio Unit Complex fractions Knowledge:
Students know:
What a unit rate is and how to calculate it given a relationship between quantities.
Quantities compared in ratios are not always whole numbers but can be represented by fractions or decimals.
A fraction can be used to represent division. Skills:
Students are able to:
Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractional
lengths.
Areas.
quantities measured in like or different units. Understanding:
Students understand that:
Two measurements that create a unit rate are always different (miles per gallon, dollars per hour) Diverse Learning Needs:
Essential Skills:
Learning Objectives: M.7.1.1: Define unit rate, proportions, area, length, and ratio.
M.7.1.2: Recall how to find unit rates using ratios.
M.7.1.3: Recall the steps used to solve division of fraction problems.
Prior Knowledge Skills:
Recall addition and subtraction of fractions as joining and separating parts referring to the same whole.
Identify two fractions as equivalent (equal) if they are the same size or the same point on a number line.
Recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions, e.g., 1/2 = 2/4, 4/6 = 2/3. Explain why the fractions are equivalent, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.
Generate equivalent fractions.
Define quantity, fraction, and ratio.
Reinterpret a fraction as a ratio. Write a ratio as a fraction.
Create a ratio or proportion from a given word problem, diagram, table, or equation.
Calculate unit rate or rate by using ratios or proportions.
Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
Mathematics 1. Calculate unit rates of length, area, and other quantities measured in like or different units that include ratios or fractions. [Grade 7, 1]
Unpacked Content
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
Compute a unit rate for ratios that compare quantities with different units.
Determine the unit rate for a given ratio, including unit rates expressed as a complex fraction. Example, if a runner runs mile every hour, a student should be able to write the ratio as a complex fraction.) Teacher Vocabulary:
Unit rate
Ratio
Unit
Complex fractions Knowledge:
Students know:
What and how to calculate a unit rate to represent a given relationship between quantities.
Quantities compared in ratios are not always whole numbers but can be represented by fractions or decimals.
A fraction can be used to represent division. Skills:
Students are able to:
Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractional:
Lengths.
Areas.
Quantities measured in like or different units. Understanding:
Students understand that:
the two measurements that create a unit rate are always different (miles per gallon, dollars per hour). Diverse Learning Needs:
Learning Objectives: Students will be able to calculate unit rates in like or different units that include ratios or fractions.
Strategies, Preparations and Variations
Phase: Before/Engage
Activity: Procedure
1. Introduction (5 minutes, whole group)
The students will learn a strategy for solving unit rate problems from the PBS video.
The teacher will pair the students with a partner for partner work.
The teacher will distribute paper and pencils and pose the following problem for pairs to discuss:
Discussion : Store A sells notebooks at 2 for $5. Store B sells the same ones at 3 for $6. Which price is a better deal? How do you know?
Answer : After a moment, gather and record students’ solution strategies. If no one suggests setting the problem up as a comparison of ratios, do so yourself:
Ask students for examples of other unit rates. Prompt for a variety of contexts (e.g., pay per hour, distance per minute).
2. Watching the video (10 minutes, whole group)
Pause the video at 00:30 (30 seconds). Ask pairs to talk over the solution to the problem posed and jot down their solution strategies.
After a few minutes, resume the video. When it is over, ask students:
Did anyone solve the problem as in the video?
What other ways did you find to solve the problem?
Record students’ solution strategies or invite them to come up and do so. Emphasize the variety of possible approaches.
Assessment Strategies: The student responses during the class discussion will be used as a formative assessment.
Advanced Preparation:
The teacher will need to sign up for a free PBS LearningMedia account .
To get the most from the activity, students should be comfortable finding equivalent fractions and have had some exposure to the concepts of ratio and unit rate.
Variation Tips (optional):
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
Keywords and Search Tags
Keywords and Search Tags:
equivalent fractions, fractions, ratios, unit rates
