Marie Johnson One Size Fits All? Grades 3-5

Transcription

1 TIME ALLOTMENT One - 50 minute period OVERVIEW SUBJECT MATTER Can one size fit all when describing the relative size of objects? How big is big and how small is small? Before students can understand the size of the cosmos they must understand the size of things in their own world. In this lesson, students will begin by guessing the size of the largest and smallest things in specific categories. Student will then compare the relative size of the some objects by using scale drawings. Math LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will be able to: Create reasonable estimates based on comparison and hands-on activities Describe the differences between an estimate and a guess Articulate how estimation is helpful when understanding the relative size on a cosmic scale Give other examples where scale drawings are used STANDARDS Evaluate inferences based on validity and reliability (identify probability problems as fair and unfair using ratios, percentages, tables, charts, and graphs) Estimate measures of length, volume, capacity, quantity, and weight, communicating the degree of accuracy needed, and when a more precise measure is required Translate map distances and scale drawing measurements to actual measure Use ratio and proportions to create scale drawings from actual measurements. National Teacher Training Institute / KNPB Channel 5 Reno One Size Fits All...1 of 6 GE

2 MEDIA COMPONENTS DVD IMAX Cosmic Voyage Web sites MATERIALS per class DVD player Television with remote Computer(s) with internet access per student Big and Small Worksheet Scale Drawing Worksheet Plain Paper Metric Rulers PREP FOR TEACHERS Prior to teaching the lesson, bookmark all of the web sites used in this lesson on the computer being used for this lesson. Cue the DVD to the appropriate parts. The very beginning of the DVD where the airplane is coming in and the part where acrobats hold a ring that is 1-m wide and are then surrounded by a ring of spectators that is 10-m wide. INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES: SETTING THE STAGE Step 1-Distribute the Big and Small Worksheet to each student Step 2-Have students guess at what are some of the biggest and smallest things in the world around us. Step 3-Remind students that there is no need to come to a consensus. Step 4- Discuss Answers and allow for extra time to the discussion of big and small Step 5- Tell students that they will now go online and see if their estimate was close and what the actual size is. Step 6- Explain to the students that in this lesson, we will be examining the relative size of an object and how this can help us understand the size of objects in the universe. National Teacher Training Institute / KNPB Channel 5 Reno One Size Fits All...2 of 6 GE

3 LEARNING ACTIVITIES CULMINATING ACTIVITIES FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION: observe how the relative size of something can look different on different scales. INSERT DVD...CUE to the beginning where the plane is coming in on what looks like a runway. PAUSE after man is climbing on the mountain (approx. 1 min.) CHECK FOR COMPREHENSION: Ask students how many thought the plane was an actual airplane and not a model? Ask the students if they thought the homes and the street were real and not models? What was the difference between the two examples? What was it that made you know that these were examples of models? PLAY video PAUSE after the men are at the top looking out at the landscape. CHECK FOR COMPREHENSION: Ask the students how do they know that this mountain is a real mountain and not a model? FAST FORWARD to the acrobats in St. Mark s Square PLAY video. STOP after the narrator talks about the thirteen steps (representing the power of ten for each step) away from St. Mark s Square. CHECK FOR COMPREHENSION: Ask the students how the film explained the measurement of distance of thirteen steps. Is this a form of scale? Step 1-Hand out the Scale Drawing and one sheet of plain white drawing paper to the students. Let them know they will continue to compare big and small things by using scale drawings. Step 2- Have students trace their hand on the sheet of white paper. Tell them to make it as close as possible so their outline is the same size as the actual hand. Step 3- Tell students that the picture of the hummingbird is the actual size of the hummingbird. Have students cut out the picture of the hummingbird and place it on the outline of the hand. Tell the students that this is a full-scale comparison of the hummingbird and the student s hand. Step 4- Compare the height of a giraffe to the student s height. Tell students that some things are too big to put on paper as full size. We will be using a scale to compare the giraffe s height to our own. We will use the scale drawing of the giraffe (worksheet) to study the measurement. Explain to the students that a scale is a ratio between to sets of measurements. In this case, the scale is the ratio between the height of a real giraffe and the giraffe in the picture. Have the students measure the giraffe in the picture (15cm tall). Explain to the students that a real giraffe measures 6m or 600cm tall. National Teacher Training Institute / KNPB Channel 5 Reno One Size Fits All...3 of 6 GE

4 CULMINATING ACTIVITY CONTINUED Show them on the chalk or white board that to calculate scale you must use the same units of measurement. Show them that they will use cm and the scale is 15:600 or 1:40 (you might have to show them how to reduce if your students are not familiar with this-15/600 =1/40). Each cm on the paper represents 40 cm in the real world. Have each student figure out his or her height at this scale (Divide height in cm by 40). Step 5- Have each student draw a stick figure or outline next to the giraffe showing his or her height at scale. CROSS- CURRICULAR EXTENSIONS Social Studies- Students can see the effect of changing scale by looking at, or drawing, maps of the same area at different scale. Science- Go back to the DVD to study a drop of water. As the camera moves in, paramecia fill the screen. The field of view is only 1mm across. Language Arts- Have students write different kinds of poetry describing big and small things, using big and small words, and big and small feelings. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Plan a fieldtrip to a pet store to see big and small pets. Invite an engineer or an architect to talk about drawing to scale and how that is important to their job. STUDENT MATERIALS National Teacher Training Institute / KNPB Channel 5 Reno One Size Fits All...4 of 6 GE

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6 Big and Small Name What are some of the biggest and smallest things around us? Look at the chart below and try to guess. You may discuss them with group members,but you do not have to come to an agreement. Write your own guess for the names and sizes on your paper, and remember to use metric units for size. W BIG AND SMALL MY GUESS ACTUAL Name Size Name Size smallest fish goldfish 2cm dwarf goby 9mm tallest mammal tallest tree tallest building in the world highest mountain in the world smallest bird