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| Grant |
Name: Rebecca Johnson
Title of lesson: Measuring Me
Length of lesson: 50 minutes
Description of the class:
Name of course: 6th grade Math
Grade level: 6th
Honors or regular: Regular
Source of the lesson:
Based on an after-school Club Girlstart program lesson.
TEKS addressed:
6.3A Uses ratios to describe proportional situations.
6.3B Represent ratios and percents with concrete models.
I. Overview
Students will find ratios among data and even create their own data to find ratios in. It’s important to understand the concept of ratios in real life so that this part of mathematics takes on some meaning for the student.
II. Performance or learner outcomes
Students will be able to:
- State what a ratio and proportion are
- Measure accurately with a tape measure
- Calculate ratios from data
III. Resources, materials and supplies needed
ê Measuring tape (Class set)
ê Calculators (Class set)
ê Pencils
ê Overhead projector picture of the Statue of Liberty
IV. Supplementary materials, handouts.
§ Measuring Me Activity Sheet
§ Statue of Liberty Statistics Activity Sheet
Five-E Organization
Teacher Does Probing Questions Student Does
Engage: Have you ever wondered how an artist draws the human body so perfectly? Artists use average body proportions to help them draw and sculpt accurately. The sizes and relationships of most human body parts are proportional. They are related. For example, the lengths from shoulder to elbow, elbow to wrist, distance around a fist and the inside of a foot from heel to big toe, generate interesting ratios.Show a picture of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty, for example, is very proportional. Pass out Statue of Liberty handout. Share fun facts about the Statue of Liberty. |
What is a proportion? What is the Statue of Liberty? |
A proportion is a statement of equality between two ratios. Ratios are simply numbers that compare two amounts. A big green statue in New York, a gift from France, etc. |
Evaluation: The student should be able to explain to their partner what a ratio is.
Explore: Encourage students to look for patterns and ratios as they review the Statue of Liberty measurements listed on the activity sheet. Explain that they might have to round the numbers. Give them several minutes to discover several ratios on their own. Allow students to present their findings. Next, we are going to explore some of the ratios on our own bodies. Have students work with a partner and complete the measurements on the activity sheet. Then, have them compute the ratios, again after explaining that rounding is acceptable. |
What ratios do you notice? Do you think 157ft to 158ft is close enough to be considered 1:1? Do you think these ratios occur on humans or just in art? For my ratio, can one of my measurements be in cm and the other in inches? Why is it important that my measurements be in the same unit? |
Students will work in pairs to discover ratios in the structure of the Statue of Liberty. Students will present some of the ratios they found. Students will work with a partner and measure selected body parts. Then, students will use their collected data to calculate ratios on the human body. |
Evaluation: Formative assessment, the teacher will walk around checking to see that each group is measuring the appropriate body parts and computing ratios. Also, the activity sheet will be handed in at the end of the period.
Explain: The teacher will let students present their ideas and facilitate discussion. |
Do you think the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty was aware of these ratios? Are the ratios the same for boys and girls? Did you find any surprises when calculating the ratios? Do you think the ratios change when you get older from when you were a baby? |
Students will present some of the ratios they found on the human body. Students will probably guess correctly after seeing data, that the ratios are the same. Students may or may not think the ratios change with age, especially since a baby doesn’t always look proportional. |
Evaluation: Students will be assigned a participation grade based on how well they presented, on how well they listened appropriately to other groups’ ideas, and if they are able to participate in discussion.
Extend / Elaborate: Draw a proportional stick figure with labeled measurements and two ratios listed. |
What tools might you use in your drawing? Is this how you would normally draw your stick figure? Does it look different than stick figures you’ve drawn in the past or do you usually draw things proportionally without even thinking about it? |
A ruler Students will draw a proportional stick figure and label the measurements. |
Evaluation: Students will hand in their labeled stick figure drawing, with two written out proportions.