Use of data handling concepts in a practical, relevant context.
Using measures.
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Resources |
Vocabulary |
Tape measures
Design a Desk notesheet – one each
Design a Desk resource sheet
Calculators
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middle, height, length, width, value, average, range, median, size, cm, maximum, minimum,reach, span |
Organisation |
Mixed achievement pairs, sitting in groups of four or six.
Calculators should be available but not given out at the beginning of the lesson
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Whole Class Preparation: (about 10 mins) |
Set the problem in the context of buying new furniture with children in mind. If we were each going to have a new desk, what things might we want to take into consideration when choosing it?
List children’s feedback on the board and focus on mathematically related ideas, such as appropriate size for the person and room, explaining that size is the focus of today’s lesson.
Use a volunteer to come to the front and sit on a chair. Demonstrate that they will need a desk as big as a certain ‘span’ and ‘reach’, and as ‘tall as’ a certain height so that legs fit comfortably underneath the desk.
Draw a 3D view of a desk on the board, discuss labels and words: height, length and width and where such labels should be positioned. Discuss the differences children see between the front view, side view, top view and 3D view.
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Paired and Group Work: (about 15-20 mins) |
Give a copy of the Design a Desk notesheet to each child.
In pairs, children measure their arm span, reach and height when sitting. They check and record results appropriately on their sheets.
In groups, children record results for the dimensions of each person.
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Class Sharing: (about 10 mins) |
Draw out results from one group and record them on the board.
How could we use these results to design a desk that would be suitable forthe whole group? Why is it not fair to take the biggest or smallest value?
How would you find the middle value? For example, use two middle measurements, add them and divide by 2; or find the difference and halve it, adding that to the smallest value; or use a numberline or tape measure.
Discuss the range of data in the example.
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Paired Work and Sharing: (about 10 mins) |
In groups or pairs, children collate the middle values and ranges for their group to give a set of measurements appropriate to that group.
Record each group’s data in a table on the board.
What do you notice about the information we have collected? Why?
Make each group responsible for finding the median value of length, width or height, then draw the results on the board in the form of a 3D view of the desk most suitable for the class (see the resource sheet for help).
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Class Sharing: (about 10 mins) |
How do our results compare to the size of our current desks?
Would our newly designed desk be appropriate for everyone in the school? Why or why not?
Is there anyone who doesn’t agree with our conclusions or feels that the desk we have designed would be uncomfortable for them? Why?
What other forms of average might we have used? What difference do you think this would have made to our results?
Where, in real life, might looking at personal measurements in this way be useful? Beds, doors, wardrobes and so on. Would you want to use the median with the bed or door? What other measures did we take which might help? Why?
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