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Total Duration:
61 to 90 Minutes
Materials and Resources:
How Far Can You Leap? Activity Guide (found in attachments), Investigative Activity Rubric (found in attachments), Rate Exit Slip (found in attachments), Chart paper, painter's tape, Math Toolbox which includes the following: pencil, paper, graph paper, markers, scissors, glue, calculator, sticky notes
Technology Resources Needed:
Interactive whiteboard (Optional) with required software, document camera, projector, access to search engine (individually or whole group)
Background/Preparation:
The teacher must make the appropriate number of copies of the How Far Can You Leap? activity guide (found in attachments). Copies should be made so that students can work collaboratively.
The teacher must make the appropriate number of copies of the Rate Exit Slip (found in attachments). Each student should have one.
Teacher must prepare the appropriate number of Math Toolboxes.
Teacher must mark off a starting point for the leap. In a long hallway with square tiles works best, but this can easily be modified to do an outdoor lesson. Instead of floor tiles, the teacher can mark off feet.
The students must have knowledge of ratios.
1. The teacher will instruct the students to search for "fastest car in the world" (if available, students can use individual devices or this can be done in small or whole group). The teacher will ask "How do we know it is the fastest car in the world?" Students will give responses, an ideal response is "because it tells us the speed." The teacher will ask the students, "How is speed displayed?" Ideal student response "Miles per hour." The teacher will introduce speed as a rate and explain that in 1 hour that car can go n miles. The teacher will introduce rate as a ratio where a unit equals 1.
2. The teacher will ask students for other rates we use every day. Ideal student response "dollars per hour". The teacher will show the students a rate/ratio of $40 for five hours. The teacher will ask, "Is this a rate?" Ideal response, "No, because the hours is not equal to one." The teacher will pose an open-ended question "How can we get our hours down to one?" Allow students to give suggestions and strategies. Teacher will drive students to set up a table or use equivalent ratios.
3. The teacher will introduce the activity How far can you leap? The teacher will demonstrate (or have a student demonstrate a leap), start with both feet together and jump with one foot. If needed, teacher will demonstrate the leap progression in the activity (the directions are on the activity guide). Students will begin investigation. As students are working, teacher will act as a facilitator or coach asking questions that drive understanding.
4. Once adequate time (30-45 minutes) is given, the students will share their finding on the document camera. (If a document camera is not available students may present their work in the front of the class, this is where the students would need chart paper). As the students are sharing, the teacher is acting as the facilitator and coach asking questions that drive ratio understanding. "How do you know that ratio is equivalent to the first ratio?" "How did you know to do _______?" "Did someone do this differently?" Teacher will spawn debate on who has the best rate at jumping tiles.
5. Toward the end of the class students will complete the Rate Exit Slip (found in attachments).
Assessment Strategies
Formal Formative Assessment: Rate Exit Slip
Formal Assessment: Using the Investigative Activity Rubric (found in attachments) teacher will evaluate students' work.
Informal Formative Assessment: As the students are working, the teacher will act as the facilitator and coach. Teacher will ask questions to evaluate students (i.e. How do you know ______?, What did you do to get that?) Teacher may pull small groups during investigation on a needs basis.
Acceleration:
The investigation has an included extension on the How Far Can You Leap? Activity Sheet (found in attachments).
Intervention:
Because this is part of a unit, teacher may develop small groups based on the Rate Exit Slip or informal questioning as part of the investigative activity.
View the Special Education resources for
instructional guidance in providing modifications and adaptations
for students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the Alabama Alternate Assessment.