LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Single runner

http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L292

A lesson plan for Grades 3–5 Mathematics

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

About this resource

Appropriate grades
3–5
Subjects
mathematics (algebra, applied mathematics)
Provider
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

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In this activity, students use a software simulation of one runner along a track. They control the speed and starting point of the runner, watch the race, examine a graph, and analyze the time-versus-distance relationship. This activity helps students understand, describe, and compare situations involving constant rates of change. Illuminations provides an activity sheet, a link to the runner simulation, and directions for completing the lesson.

Students will:

  • Identify and describe situations with constant rates of change and compare them.

NCTM Standards and Expectations:

  • Represent and analyze patterns and functions, using words, tables, and graphs.
  • Investigate how a change in one variable relates to a change in a second variable.

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.

Grade 4

  • Goal 5: Algebra - The learner will demonstrate an understanding of mathematical relationships.
    • Objective 5.01: Identify, describe, and generalize relationships in which:
      • Quantities change proportionally.
      • Change in one quantity relates to change in a second quantity.
    • Objective 5.02: Translate among symbolic, numeric, verbal, and pictorial representations of number relationships.
    • Objective 5.03: Verify mathematical relationships using:
      • Models, words, and numbers.
      • Order of operations and the identity, commutative, associative, and distributive properties.

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.
    • Objective 5.02: Use algebraic expressions, patterns, and one-step equations and inequalities to solve problems.
    • Objective 5.03: Identify, describe, and analyze situations with constant or varying rates of change.