Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Bicycle Lesson Plan: Middle school age

I have tried this lesson with my level 8 students and it worked well so I thought I would share it with you. Again my level 8 students did well, but I also felt it would work with my level 6 and 7th students too.

I started the lesson with Bicycle Math Marathon:
One day at a bicycle marathon, 4 cyclists started at point A. They picked up 10 more at point B. At point C, 23 cyclists were waiting to join the pack. Onto point D, they collected 12 speedy cyclists. At point E, 17 individuals joined the pack. Then 2 poor souls dropped out due to dehydration. At point F, 29 more joined the troop. Finally, at point G, 3 stragglers entered the group. How many total individuals finished the bicycle marathon?
The students who completed the word problem correctly recieved a starburst. We then wrote on the board all the words that meant to add, and all those that meant to subtract. In the end they all had the correct answer.
I followed this with breaking into 5 groups of 2 students, handing out objective slips and setting standards for the lesson.
1. Read and understand.
2. Answer the questions in complete sentences.
3. Prepare to share.
4. Share out loud.
5. Listen when it is not your turn.
The objective slips
A) Imagine you are an inventor and have invented the greatest bicycle machine ever. Describe what it looks like and what special things it can do.
B) There are many things a bike is good for. Imagine all the things you can do with a bike. Name 10 things and describe how it will work.
C) There are unicycles, bivyvles, and tricycles. Design a pentacycle, and new kind of cycle with 5 wheels. Describe what it looks like and how it works.
D) Design the fastest and best bicycle you can possibly imagine. What does it look like, and why is it the fastest and the best?
E) Unicycles are traditionally used in circuses. Design a circus act that could be used with a bicycle and then a tricycle.
The students both had to speak when sharing. Most decided to have one read the objective while the other shared what they came up with.

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