Hula Hoop Together With Starburst Scatterplots

This year, I switched upwards the guild a fleck inward Algebra 1 in addition to moved creating scatter plots in addition to lines of best fit from our Data Analysis Unit (end of the year) to our Linear Graphs in addition to Inequalities Unit (half agency through the year). I receive got mixed feelings well-nigh this. I cry upwards that placing this science inward the unit of measurement on linear graphs shows my students a real-world application of linear graphs. It besides gave my students much-needed extra do amongst point-slope form. Last year, I felt similar revisiting linear graphs at the halt of the twelvemonth helped necktie what nosotros were doing during our information analysis unit of measurement dorsum to what nosotros had studied previously during the year. I didn't receive got to produce every bit much reviewing this twelvemonth because my students are nonetheless inward the thick of graphing linear equations.

So, where is the best house for this skill? I'm nonetheless non sure! We're behind where nosotros should live this year, then I alone had a few days to completely address scatter plots. I didn't produce the theme quite the judge it deserves (delving into the pregnant in addition to application of correlation coefficients), but I cry upwards it's to a greater extent than of import to movement ahead in addition to brand certain that nosotros receive got plenty fourth dimension to comprehend polynomials in addition to radicals than to comprehend scatter plots inward total detail. I'd honey to live able to nation that I learn 100% of the standards to the total extent they should live taught, but amongst alone a 161 solar daytime schoolhouse twelvemonth amongst students, that's but non possible.

Our kickoff solar daytime of practicing scatter plots was spent trying to respond the question: How long would it receive got to produce a last year.




My 4 classes got vastly dissimilar results amongst their results when they substituted the population of Drumright into their lines of best fit. Some classes were averaging ii seconds/person. Others were averaging to a greater extent than similar seven seconds/person. This led from students calculating anywhere from 4 hours to seven hours for the entire town. My students had hypothesized it would receive got every bit much every bit 4 days or 10 days to consummate the relay. Of course, they brought upwards the fact that the demographics of the entire town produce non tally the demographics of our class. What well-nigh the elderly? What well-nigh someone inward a bicycle chair? What well-nigh a toddler that can't stand upwards still? It was dandy to withdraw heed the thoughtful conversations students were having well-nigh the model nosotros created!

You tin sack download the files for the hula hoop relay scatter plot here.

Our minute solar daytime of making scatter plots was a lilliputian less active in addition to a lot to a greater extent than sweet. I saw this thought on twitter several years ago, in addition to I want I had made fourth dimension to endeavour it sooner!

First, buy a large quantity of Starbursts (affiliate link).


Next, pose this inquiry to your class: Is at that topographic point a human relationship betwixt a person's manus bridge in addition to the amount of candy he/she tin sack selection upwards at i fourth dimension amongst i hand? 


Quite a few of my students read this inquiry in addition to froze. They had no clue what they had but read or what they were genuinely existence asked. I told them that they could alter the give-and-take to "pattern." This helped many of them ameliorate encounter what I was bespeak for.

In each class, i educatee would nation something along the lines of "Well, if yous receive got a bigger hand, you're going to live able to selection upwards to a greater extent than candy. And, if yous receive got a smaller hand, you're going to live able to selection upwards less candy." Usually, most of the flat would nod inward understanding upon hearing this. Several students were frustrated that they had realized this, but they had failed to realize that this was what I was looking for. I'm non certain if I demand to reword my inquiry or if I demand to pass to a greater extent than fourth dimension helping students dissect questions?


Now, it's fourth dimension to figure out our manus spans. We measured our manus spans inward inches because but about of the rulers inward my classroom receive got alone inches printed on them. Plus, I learn inward America, in addition to my students freak out whatever fourth dimension I endeavour in addition to brand them move the metric system.


My students' manus spans ended upwards ranging from vi inches to 10 inches.


Finally, it's fourth dimension to pause out the candy! I poured my handbag off Starbursts into an onetime candy container that I had stuck inward the cabinet. 


Students had i jeopardy to selection upwards every bit many starbursts every bit they could at i fourth dimension amongst i hand. I had to spotter students closely because but about tried to cheat yesteryear dragging upwards but about of the candy upwards the wall of the container. It turns out that teenage boys larn rattling competitive when it comes to figuring out how many pieces of candy each individual tin sack selection upwards at once!

Each educatee would receive got a plough grabbing a handful of candy. They passed the candy bucket to the adjacent individual to catch their candy spell they counted their Starbursts. When each educatee finished counting their Starbursts, they would study the information to me to tape on the SMARTBoard. Then, they would supply their Starbursts to the candy bucket that had since moved on downward the row. I constitute that v students could catch Starbursts out of the bucket (I bought the 41 oz bag!) earlier nosotros needed students to set their counted Starbursts dorsum in. This was almost perfect timing!


After collecting all of our data, nosotros made a scatter plot. I thought the graph would receive got a much stronger correlation than it ended upwards having! 


One flat decided that the set out of Starbursts yous could selection upwards didn't but depend on manus span. They theorized that it besides mattered how skinny or fatty your private fingers were! Many students complained that they could catch quite a few Starbursts, they but slipped through their fingers dorsum into the bucket!

We used our line of piece of occupation of best fit to determine how many Starbursts I should live able to selection up. None of my classes were able to determine the value exactly. It didn't assistance that but about hours I picked upwards 24 Starbursts in addition to other hours I picked upwards 34! Obviously, at that topographic point is something else at play than but manus span...

If you're interested inward the file for this activity, I receive got uploaded it here.

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