Mini Metric Olympics

To roll upwards my physical scientific discipline students' "I tin accept accurate measurements" skill, I decided to role the "Mini Metric Olympics" from AIMS.  The master copy activity was published inwards Math + Science: H5N1 Solution. 

I constitute this activity online here.  The master copy activity is from 1987 too is hand-lettered.  I decided to modify it too update it a fleck at the same time.    

I created this marker sail for each of my students to fill upwards out:

The master copy AIMS version had half dozen events, merely I chose to focus on exclusively 5 events.  I deleted the termination that required my students to accept their shoes off.  I possess got problem plenty keeping my room smelling prissy when their shoes are on! 

I laminated the instructions for each station:

Here are the details for the 5 events I chose. 

Straw Javelin Throw:

 Paper Plate Discus:

Cotton Ball Shot Put:

 Right-Handed Marble Grab:

 Left-Handed Sponge Squeeze:

What I absolutely dear almost these activities is that they were perfectly do-able inwards my non-science lab classroom.  Though, the dorsum counter inwards my classroom is looking to a greater extent than too to a greater extent than similar a scientific discipline lab!  

Instead of marbles, I used these decorative drinking glass pieces from my husband's classroom.  He bought them at Dollar Tree to role equally counters inwards activities.

The OERB Workshop I attended came inwards super handy for the left-handed sponge squeeze.  I had them squash their sponge into the crimson cup, gauge the volume, thence pour the H2O into the graduated cylinder.

Now, I desire to part approximately photos of my students inwards activity equally they completed the 5 events.  We did the right-handed marble catch too the left-handed sponge squash inwards our classroom since that's where the triple beam balances too the graduated cylinders were.  The other 3 events all involved measuring amongst meter sticks, thence nosotros went out into the antechamber expanse of the schoolhouse to spread out too collect our data.

Thankfully, H2O cleans upwards easily!

Looking at this photo, I instantly realize that non all of my students used their left hands for the sponge squeeze...

This side yesteryear side painting demonstrate has a story.  It was taken out inwards the school's antechamber equally students were cleaning upwards our materials from the 3 events nosotros did out there.  One pupil collected all the meter sticks too lay them inwards this pile.  Then, at the EXACT 2nd that the district superintendent was walking by, a pupil said really loudly, "Why is i of out meter sticks shorter than all the others?"  The superintendent looked at her too said, "That's because that's a yard stick, non a meter stick."  Now my superintendent is belike wondering if I've taught these children anything...

The best agency to clit doing the 3 touchstone events inwards the antechamber would endure this: "mass chaos."  But, everyone did larn their measurements done!

After the measurements were all taken, nosotros calculated our mistake for each event.  One pupil insisted that she would produce ameliorate if nosotros calculated percentage mistake instead, thence nosotros did that also to banking venture gibe too run into if she was right.  In the future, I yell back I would add together a "percent error" column to the marker tracking sheet.

Having run through this activity once, there's approximately other big alter I would brand to it inwards the future.  The agency it is written, a pupil does an event, estimates the measurement, too thence measures the actual value (mass, volume, or distance).  I don't desire to tell my students are non the most honest, merely approximately of them seemed to possess got almost no mistake throughout the activity.  To expire on them to a greater extent than honest inwards the future, I would similar to give them the marker tracking sheets too possess got them brand ALL of their estimates earlier they did anything else.  How far produce you lot yell back you lot are going to endure able to throw a straw?  How far produce you lot yell back you lot are going to endure able to throw a cotton fiber ball?  I yell back this would spice things upwards a bit, too.  The objects this activity uses are pretty difficult to throw, merely students mightiness non realize that when they are making their estimates!

You tin notice my edited files for this activity here.  The fonts are Wellfleet too Caviar Dreams.

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