1. It’s Time for A little Spaghetti... A Hands on Activity for Middle Schoolers Karen McCaffrey

2. Purpose for in the classroom To provide students with an authentic connection related to a process used by engineers To provide students with a concrete, hands on example of a linear relationship To help students recognize, identify and apply a linear pattern To help students determine future values within a linear pattern through the application of its defining elements

3. Through this Activity... The student will successfully complete the given task with the provided cups and pennies. The student will effectively identify the independent and dependent variables. The student will effectively recognize the difference between linear and quadratic patterns and graphs. The student will effectively sketch a line of best fit for various coordinates. The student will effectively determine as well as explain contextually the slope and y-intercept of a line. The student will effectively predict values based upon a linear relationship. Using slope and y-intercept, the student will effectively determine the equation of a line.

4. The bASICS... The students will work in groups of 3 or 4. They will be given a paper cup with two holes, in which they will run a strand of spaghetti through. One person will now suspend the cup by placing each of their index fingers about one inch from each end of the spaghetti. Next, another person will begin placing pennies into the cup until the spaghetti breaks. Note: Students will make predicitions for the # of pennies prior to the start of the procedure. All predictions and actual values will be recorded This will be repeated with 2,3,4 and 5 peices of spaghetti

5. Let’s Take a Look at How This Works... The Materials Needed For Each Group Making the Holes in the Cup and Running the Spaghetti Through Making Our PredictionsSuspending “The Bridge”

6. Counting the Pennies Thinking About What It All Means

7. hOW IS SPAGHETTI IN MATHEMATICS? After students record their findings they move on to a series of questions... Independent and Dependent Variables Patterns Formed Linear or Quadratic Slope (Mathematically and Contextually) Y-intercept (Mathematically and Contextually) Equation of a line

8. For something a little different When implementing this activity there are ways to make it a little different, and potentially more engaging for students Does The Way You Suspend Matter? Have students test differences when you hold the suspension different lenghts from the ends Spaghetti vs. Whole Wheat Spaghetti What would create a more stabilized bridge...an entire box of spaghetti or whole wheat spaghetti? How many pennies could each box hold?