Summer SAVY, Session 3 Day 1, The One to Beat: Using Algebra to Make and Break Records (3rd – 4th)
It is with great enthusiasm that I tell you how excited I am for our first session together! We are using world records to learn about Algebra with an emphasis on relationships. We are focusing on analyzing change by using graphs, tables, and verbal situations and will continue to learn about Algebra as a set of concepts tied to the representation of relationships through words, tables, and graphs.
In our morning session, the students were able to give me their own definitions of the term, variable. We were able to extend their mathematical thinking of the term as we included a second definition of a variable as a quantity that varies or changes. The students were able to identify variables in a variety of “Wacky World Record Situations” and discuss how the variables changed in relation to one another. I was truly impressed at how much the students were able to recognize the relationships between the variables, as well as identify some of the less obvious variables. In our second activity, we used “NBA Star Stats” to interpret some information from a graph. Most of the students seemed to struggle with interpreting the graph due to the idea that it did not have a scale. This made it a little more difficult to identify each player. Nevertheless, students persevered through the task and were able to discuss their findings.
In our afternoon session, we attempted to break a world record by pushing an orange with our nose. The students obtained a wealth of knowledge and a multitude of skills while they were also having fun! Three graphs were displayed that emphasized how the structure of a line could be used to interpret various types of line graphs. During the orange nose push activity, the students chose one of four roles: orange pusher, timekeeper, distance marker, and recorder. We were able to learn how to convert inches into feet while we were measuring each distance. We recorded the data and began to display it in the form of a line graph. Tomorrow, we will continue to complete our graphs and develop a graph that thoroughly displays the data. I will emphasize to the students the important parts associated with a line graph such as title, scale, and labels for the x-axis and y-axis. The students will be asked to create displays that we will keep up for display during the week.
I look forward to mastering the lesson objectives and continuing to transfer my love for mathematical relationships in creative ways!
With children first,
Mrs. Fuller