Chryste L. Berda - Fun and Games: Field Day: Understanding Length

0covercover.xhtmlcover1page0001page0001.xhtml22page0002page0002.xhtmlFUN AND GAMES Field Day Understanding Length33page0003page0003.xhtml44page0004page0004.xhtmlTable of Contents The Dream Team 4 A New Member 8 Making Plans 14 Field Day Fun 26 Problem Solving 28 Glossary 30 Index 31 Answer Key 3255page0005page0005.xhtmlThe Dream Team I am so excited! Every year, students are picked to choose the events and layout for Field Day. This year, my class is in charge of the event. Everyone dreams of being on the planning team. But no one wants it more than I do. I like to do these kinds of things. I help my family plan our yearly block party. But no one knows about my secret skill. I hope I am chosen for the team.66page0006page0006.xhtmlTug-of-war is a common Field Day activity.77page0007page0007.xhtmlIn class, my teacher, Mr. Jackson, calls my classmates' names. "DeShawn, Sophia, Piper, Ava, and Luis, " he says. But he does not say my name, Christian. I watch the others cheer. They are all so excited. They even come up with a great team name. They will be called the Dream Team. Christian is sad he was not picked for the Dream Team.88page0008page0008.xhtmlMr. Jackson calls students' names to help with Field Day.99page0009page0009.xhtmlA New Member During recess, the Dream Team sits on the benches. I am sure that this is their first meeting. I decide to play near the benches so I can hear them. As I play, I listen. DeShawn asks, "What are the rules for the design of the field? " Piper says, "We have to fit all of the events onto the field. And we have to keep everyone safe! " Luis asks, "How do we do that? " Students play during recess.1010page0010page0010.xhtml1111page0011page0011.xhtmlSophia asks, "Should we build fences between every game so no one gets hit by a ball? Or, maybe we can hang huge nets that will catch anyone before they fall to the ground? What do we need to do? Will we have enough time to get it all done? " I can hear the worry in the Dream Team's voices. I am sure that they will not have time to build fences and hang nets!1212page0012page0012.xhtml1313page0013page0013.xhtmlThe Dream Team talks more. None of them have drawn a layout for an event before. The team's ideas get bigger and more complicated. I hear bits and pieces of their conversation "robots...alarms...horns...". As I listen, I know I can help. I hesitate, and then I turn to the group. "Hey guys! Just design plenty of space between the games and room to run around. That should keep everyone safe. " They look surprised, but they all say, "Thanks! " I smile back at them. Students need space to spread out to run a relay race.1414page0014page0014.xhtml1515page0015page0015.xhtmlMaking Plans Luis says, "We should get started! Let's draw a plan. Then, we can start measuring lengths. " The members of the Dream Team agree. They get right to work. DeShawn and Luis start to share their ideas. Then, Sophia offers an idea. "We should try each activity, and then we will know how long the course for each one should be. " Suddenly, DeShawn turns and asks me, "Would you like to help us, Christian? " LET'S EXPLORE MATH The Dream Team gets started by measuring the length of the entire field. 1. Should students use a ruler, a meterstick, or a measuring tape? Why? 2. Should students measure using meters or centimeters? Why?1616page0016page0016.xhtmlmeasuring tape1717page0017page0017.xhtmlA Place for a Race Just like that, I am on the Dream Team! I am ready to help! I slip my legs into a giant burlap sack and jump for a few feet. I race Piper. She is really fast! The burlap sack race is so much fun, but I am sweaty and panting by the end. The boys begin drawing the plan while the girls measure the course. The Dream Team practices for the burlap sack race.1818page0018page0018.xhtmlmeterstick LET'S EXPLORE MATH Ava measures the length of the burlap sack race course as 9 meters. Piper measures the same length but says her measurement is 900 centimeters. How can there be two different but correct measurements?1919page0019page0019.xhtmlDisc Throw The next game is the Disc Throw. In this game, we each try to throw a disc through a hoop. Each disc that goes through a hoop will earn the thrower one point. The person with the most points at the end of two minutes wins the game. Sophia is the first to try it. She stands at the starting line and throws. Wow, she is great! She earns eight points in only two minutes! The Dream Team cheers.2020page0020page0020.xhtmlLET'S EXPLORE MATH How far should the starting line be from the hoops : about 5 centimeters or about 5 meters? Why?2121page0021page0021.xhtmlQuick Kick The third game will be Quick Kick. I am good at kickball, so I go first. I run to the line where the ball sits and kick as hard as I can. Just as I kick, the ball slips under my foot! I fall on my back. I am embarrassed, but DeShawn runs over to help me up. I try again, and this time, the ball soars across the field. Kickball is usually played on a baseball diamond or on a blacktop.2222page0022page0022.xhtmlA kickball is made of rubber, so it can be used on grass or blacktop. LET'S EXPLORE MATH Christian kicks the ball 23 meters. DeShawn kicks the ball 16 meters. How much farther does Christian's ball travel than DeShawn's? Draw a number line like this one. Use it to find the solution.2323page0023page0023.xhtmlThree-Legged Race The last event is also my favorite the three-legged race. Partners tie their legs together and run. Piper and Sophia run as a pair. DeShawn and Luis race them. I stand at the finish line and watch to see who will cross the line first. I holler, "Ready, set, go! " The race is on. They all take one step forward and fall down giggling. What a great start! Students practice running a three-legged race.2424page0024page0024.xhtmlSophia and Piper2525page0025page0025.xhtmlBy the end of the day, we are all sweaty and tired. We worked hard to plan a great Field Day, but we had fun while doing it. Now, it is time to rest. This is great news because Field Day is tomorrow. If I get a good night's sleep, I think I can win an event. I am also excited to see the whole school play games on our field!2626page0026page0026.xhtmlThe Dream Team celebrates a job well done.2727page0027page0027.xhtmlField Day Fun Field Day finally arrives. It is an awesome day! Everyone has fun and stays safe. I am glad that I decided to speak up and was able to help my classmates. It did not matter that I was not chosen for the Dream Team. I still got to help, have fun, and make some new friends. Maybe that is really what Field Day is all about! Students give high fives to show good sportsmanship.2828page0028page0028.xhtmlTwo students race against each other on Field Day.2929page0029page0029.xhtmlProblem Solving Field Day is finished, but members of the planning team are already looking for ideas for next time. Plan an event that they might be able to use. Answer the questions so they understand your design. 1. Describe your event. How is it played? What equipment is needed? 2. Which of the following comparisons best describes the length of the course for your event? A. a little less than the length of a classroom B. much less than the length of a classroom C. a little more than the length of a classroom D. much more than the length of a classroom 3. Which unit makes the most sense to measure the length of the course : inches, feet, centimeters, or meters? Why? 4. Which measuring tool makes the most sense to use to lay out the course : a ruler, a meterstick, or a measuring tape? Why?3030page0030page0030.xhtml3131page0031page0031.xhtmlGlossary burlap a strong, rough fabric design plan of how something will be built or created embarrassed feeling foolish in front of other people hesitate stop briefly before doing something because one is nervous or unsure about what to do holler shout ideas thoughts or plans about what to do layout the design of something lengths distances from one end to another measuring finding out the size, length, or amount of something panting breathing hard and fast skill an ability that comes from training, practice, or experience3232page0032page0032.xhtmlIndex burlap sack race disc throw kickball, layout measuring tape meterstick Quick Kick ruler three-legged race3333page0033page0033.xhtmlAnswer Key Let's Explore Math page 14 : 1. Answers will vary. Example : I recommend the students use a measuring tape because it is longer than a ruler or a meterstick and it will be easier to use to measure something long, such as the field. 2. Answers will vary. Example : I recommend the students use meters because meters are bigger than centimeters, and it will take fewer meters to measure the field. page 17 : Answers will vary but may include that there are 100 cm in 1 m so even though Ava and Piper get different measurements for the same length, both measurements are correct. page 19 : Answers will vary. Example : I think 5 m is the best measurement because 5 cm would be too short of a distance. page 21 : 7 m farther; Number lines should show a plot point at 16 and a plot point at 23. Problem Solving 1. Answers will vary but should include descriptions of how the event is played and the type of equipment needed. 2. Answers will vary. 3. Answers will vary but should be justified based on the length of the course. 4. Answers will vary but should be justified based on the size of the course.3434page0034page0034.xhtmlMath Talk 1. Is an adult more likely to be 6 inches tall or 6 feet tall? Why? 2. When might it be easier to measure with a measuring tape than a ruler? 3. Bert measures the length of a hallway and writes "10" as the measurement. What unit of measure is Bert most likely using? Why? 4. How are number lines and rulers similar? 5. Jake measures his homework and says it is 12 inches long. Stephanie measures the same paper and says it is 1 foot long. Do you agree with Jake or Stephanie? Why? 6. Imagine you are in charge of planning Field Day for your school. How might you use centimeters, inches, feet, and meters in your layout?3535page0035page0035.xhtmlFUN AND GAMES Field Day Understanding Length Mark your calendars because Field Day is on the way! Like other years, a team of students will design the layout for Field Day. Help them make sense of measurement as they work together to plan exciting events. Go team! Measurement and Data36