Jumping Jack Experiment Sixth Grade Common Core State Standard EE.C.9

Mathematical Goals Collect experimental data and organize data in a table Identify patterns and relationships between variables using information in a table

Launch Talk about bicycles and bicycle tours. Read about the bicycle trip that the five college students are planning. Discuss the questions in the Getting Ready. Divide into groups of four for the stamina experiment. Perform the jumping jack experiment and then complete Problem 1.1.

YOU WILL NEED A GROUP OF AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE A jumper (to do jumping jacks) A timer ( to keep track of time) A counter (to count the jumping jacks) A recorder (to write down the number of jumping jacks)

As a group, decide who will do each task: 1. When the timer says “go,” the jumper begins doing jumping jacks. 2. The jumper continues jumping for 2 minutes. 3. The counter counts the jumping jacks out loud. 4. Every 10 seconds, the timer says “time” and the recorder records the total number of jumping jacks the jumper has done. **Each student will take a turn at each task.

DISCUSS As a whole class, share the different ways you can collect the data for the Jumping Jack Experiment. What are some advantages and disadvantages to the ideas shared? What are some thinks your group has to consider in order to organize the data?

As a group, decide who will do each task: 1. When the timer says “go,” the jumper begins doing jumping jacks. 2. The jumper continues jumping for 2 minutes. 3. The counter counts the jumping jacks out loud. 4. Every 10 seconds, the timer says “time” and the recorder records the total number of jumping jacks the jumper has done. **Each student will take a turn at each task.

Explore When finished collecting data, make a copy of the data for your group. Within your group, discuss possible explanations for what the data in the table shows. Consider all data sets when answering.

Collaborate and Listen…

Summarize Share findings about rates of jumping jacks as whole group. What does the jumping jack experiment suggest about bicycle-riding speed over time? Review the process of making a table to record data:  Could you have chosen a different time interval for recording data in your table?  How did the jumping jack rates in your group change as time passed? How is this shown in your tables?  What might this pattern suggest about how bike-riding speed would change over a day’s time on the bicycle tour?

Extend Create coordinate graph of data in a table Identify patterns and relationships between variables using information in a graph (dependent/independent variables) Compare table and graph representations of the same data Consider data values between plotted points Compare patterns of change in a table and graph