Rolling Along with Links
Est. Class Sessions: 3–4
The Adventure Book story, "Betty Builds a Better Racer" sets the context for a laboratory investigation in which students use nonstandard units to measure the length a toy car rolls. Students group and count by fives and tens while they collect, record, and analyze data, and are introduced to the concept of "fairness" by keeping certain experimental variables constant.
Content in this Lesson
- Representing and identify quantities using connecting links and
symbols [E1]. - Connecting representations of quantities using connecting links and
symbols [E2]. - Grouping and counting objects by fives and tens and counting on [E4].
- Comparing and ordering lengths using comparative language: shorter, longer, shortest, longest [E5].
- Solving addition problems involving length using tools (e.g., connecting links, tables, graphs) [E6].
- Measuring and estimating length using nonstandard units (e.g., connecting links) [E9].
- Using labels to identify units of measure [MPE6].
- Identifying and fixing variables while collecting data.
- Making a bar graph to find information about a data set [E10].
- Reading a table or bar graph to find information about a data set [E11].
- Making predictions and generalizations about a data set represented in a data table and bar graph.
Daily Practice and Problems G–N
Materials for Students
| Daily Practice and Problems | Lesson | Homework | Assessment | ||
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Student Books |
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| Student Activity Book |
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| Adventure Book | |||||
Teacher Resources |
Teacher Guide - digital |
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Supplies for Student Pairs
45-link chain from Lesson 2 plus additional links
self-adhesive note or index card
Materials for the Teacher
Display of Rolling Along with Links data table and graph (Student Activity Book) Pages 178–179
Unit 7 Assessment Record
5 index cards or self-adhesive notes
Measuring Advice chart from Lesson 2
masking tape
ramp at least 20 inches long. See Materials Preparation.
5 small toy cars. See Materials Preparation.
3–5 blocks or books (to elevate one end of the ramp)
Materials Preparation
Gather a Collection of Toy Cars. Gather a collection of five toy cars or ask a few students to bring one each to school for the lab. The lab requires five cars that roll straight for consistent distances. Cars larger than 3 inches are most suitable as smaller toy cars often do not roll well.
Prepare One or More Ramps. Gather a minimum of one ramp of at least 20 inches in length and 3–5 books to elevate the ramp as shown in Figure 1. A level ramp surface without cracks or bumps is required. Metal book shelves or ¼ -inch plywood work well. Determine an appropriate height for the ramp(s) based on the cars you will use. This will require some experimenting prior to the lab. Mark a starting line near the top of each ramp with a piece of masking tape. Adjust the height and starting line by using blocks or books so that cars roll at least ten, but not farther than sixty, links beyond the end of the ramp. It is important to keep the setup in place for at least two days, so choose a convenient location.
Figure 1: Preparing ramps
Find a Display Space. Clear a space to post five index cards with enough room to have 10–60 links below each card.
Assessment in this Lesson
| Assessment | Expectation Assessed | Math Practices Expectation Assessed |
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Rolling Along with Links Observe Data Collection Teacher Guide - digital |
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Rolling Along with Links with Feedback Box Student Activity Book Pages 177–182 |
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Brian's Class Student Activity Book Page 183 |
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DPP Item G Nickels and Dimes Teacher Guide - digital |
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DPP Item I Missing Numbers Teacher Guide - digital |
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