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Telling racing stories
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L591
A lesson plan for Grades 3–5 Mathematics
Resource summary
- Appropriate grades: 3–5
- Subjects: mathematics (algebra, applied mathematics)
- Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
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In this lesson, students model races in which runners start from various positions. They enter numbers in a table of values, model races on a coordinate grid, and compare the results. Students begin to develop an understanding of linear relationships. Illuminations provides several helpful activity sheets and detailed instructions for completing the lesson.
Students will:
- Graph sets of ordered pairs on a grid.
- Compare representations of linear equations.
- Find the product of two factors 0-9.
- Describe patterns from a table of values.
NCTM Standards and Expectations:
- Describe, extend, and make generalizations about geometric and numeric patterns.
- Represent and analyze patterns and functions, using words, tables, and graphs.
- Model problem situations with objects and use representations such as graphs, tables, and equations to draw conclusions.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Mathematics (2004)
Grade 3
- Goal 5: Algebra - The learner will recognize, determine, and represent patterns and simple mathematical relationships.
- Objective 5.01: Describe and extend numeric and geometric patterns.
- Objective 5.02: Extend and find missing terms of repeating and growing patterns.
- Objective 5.03: Use symbols to represent unknown quantities in number sentences.
- Objective 5.04: Find the value of the unknown in a number sentence.
Grade 4
- Goal 5: Algebra - The learner will demonstrate an understanding of mathematical relationships.
- Objective 5.03: Verify mathematical relationships using:
- Models, words, and numbers.
- Order of operations and the identity, commutative, associative, and distributive properties.
- Objective 5.03: Verify mathematical relationships using:
Grade 5
- Goal 5: Algebra - The learner will demonstrate an understanding of patterns, relationships, and elementary algebraic representation.
- Objective 5.01: Describe, extend, and generalize numeric and geometric patterns using tables, graphs, words, and symbols.