Lesson Objective: Implementing Unit Conversions through Dimensional Analysis
MN 2007 Standards: 8.2.3.2 Generating Equivalent Expressions
7.4.1.1 Measures of Central Tendencies
Anticipatory Set: Convert Usain Bolt’s world record time in the 100 meter dash of 9.69 seconds to miles per hour. Then have students guess what their mile per hour rate would be.
State the objective: Tell students that today we are going to apply Unit Conversions to their own speed and compare it to that the fastest human in the world.
Teach the Lesson/Modeling: Hand out activity sheet. Read through it together. Go down to the gym and time each of the students running a prescribed distance. Time them once using a standing start and once using a running start. Return to the classroom and have them convert their times from feet per second into miles per hour. After performing their conversions, students will gather classmates data and present it in a box and whisker plot format.
Check for understanding: Are students doing their own conversions or are they relying on others to do it for them. Does each student’s mile per hour rate make sense? Do students remember how to create a box and whisker plot?
Additional Practice: Students will work on a worksheet of multi-step conversions for homework.
Tasks for Lesson Observers:
Does the initial problem draw in each of the students?
Does the timing of students add to or detract from the objective?
Are gifted students held back by the others? Are the Low ability students focused?
Was the timeline appropriate?