This week I am teaching my 6th graders about speed: what is it? what changes it? how do we measure it? and how do we graph it? Today I am engaging my learners into what it is and having them make a rough sketch of what the line graph might look like.
I started with having them write all the synonyms they could think of for the word speed for one minute with their group. I also had them add in words they thought of when I said the word speed. Then without using any of those words, they must come up with a definition for speed. This stumped them big time but led to some great group discussion!! One probing question to use is: If you and a friend are racing, how do you know who wins? They start connecting the idea that time is involved with speed.
After they made their definition and we talked about it, I read them the story of The Tortoise and the Hare- an Aesop’s Fable. They were given graph paper and had them create 2 lines on the graph showing both the hare and the tortoise. Many of their lines look liked this:
I then showed them this video:
Tomorrow we will review what it means when something stops moving and how to graph it- that the line remains constant- it doesn’t go down or up- just stays at that one place. I will then have them go back and write how they would change their graph, and then redraw it showing the no change for the hare.
Cant wait for those AH-HA moments!! Have a great one!