SUBJECT: Math

GRADE: 5th

TECHNOLOGY: Spreadsheet

BY: Kyung Bender, Katie Coyle, Jessica Swantek

 

MEASURING OURSELVES

 

Target Grade/Subject

 

The target grade for this lesson plan is the fifth grade (ages 10-11).  Fifth graders are just beginning to enter puberty so there is a physical variety (height, deepness of voice, weight, etc.) among the students due to the difference in rates of reaching puberty.  They feel a sense of maturity, being the oldest students in the elementary school.  They may also seem anxious and excited about entering middle school and experiencing more independence that comes along with it (walking to and from different classrooms, owning a locker, etc.).  They seem to enjoy any independence granted, even in class work.  Cognitively, 5th graders are at the beginning of the formal operation stage, which means that they are starting to solve abstract and hypothetical problems and think combinatorially, sometimes without the aid of concrete examples.  In terms of social and personal development, fifth graders are developing a sense of industry; enjoying mastery and competence through success and recognition of accomplishment.  However, they may feel a sense of inferiority if challenges are too difficult or if accomplishments seem easy and trivial.  Also, friendships seem to take on more significance, as indicated by the formation of cliques or tight knit groups of friends.  These relationships have an impact in the students’ school and home lives.  The lesson will cater to the fifth graders’ developmental needs, especially in the area of independence and industry.  The students will be working independently (not as individuals, but with freedom and flexibility) and their accomplishments will be recognized concretely by the use of graphs and charts in the Excel program.  Also, relational emphasis is added by the application of group work. 

 

Objectives

 

Targeted SOLs

5.11 The student will choose an appropriate measuring device and unit of measure to solve problems involving:  measurement of length-part of an inch (1/2, 1/4, and 1/8), inches, feet, yards, miles, millimeters, centimeters, meters, and kilometers; weight/mass-ounces, pounds, tons, grams, and kilograms; temperature-Celsius and Fahrenheit units.
 
Objectives
Working with a partner, students will measure their heights to the 1/8 of an inch with the use of a measuring tape.
 
Working with a partner, students will measure their weight on a bathroom scale estimated to the nearest pound.
 
Working with a partner, students will measure the thumb-to-pinky span to the 1/8 of an inch using a standard wooden 12-inch ruler.
 
Working with a partner, students will measure their body temperatures using a thermometer placed into their armpits.
 
Given the data of entire class, students will correctly type in data onto an Excel worksheet, including appropriately indicated column headings. (body temperature, height, etc.)
 
Given the class data on an Excel spreadsheet, students will convert the data into 3 graphs for the different body measurements; bar for thumb-pinky span and height, line for weight, and pie for body temperature.
 
Students will be able to distinguish between a pie chart, bar graph, and line graphs.
 
Students will be able to notice trends and patterns by observing class data presented on different types of graphs.
 

Materials

 

Computer lab with Excel program on each computer (enough computers for all pairs of students in class)

Projector that presents the computer screen onto an overhead screen

Tape measure for each student pair for measuring height

12-inch ruler for each student pair for measuring hand span

5 bathroom scales (for the class to share) for measuring weight (ask for volunteers to bring from home)

Thermometer for each student pair for measuring body temperature

Worksheet (How Do You Measure Up?)

 

Lesson Description

 

Part 1

  1. Tell students they will be working in pairs on a measurement assignment.  Assign random girl-girl and boy-boy student pairs. 
  2. Give students the worksheet “How Do You Measure Up?” to each student.
  3. Review the assignment and instruct students to break off into assigned pairs and assist each other in taking the various measurements.
  4. Allow students to work on the measurements in any order for 20 minutes. 
  5. Collect worksheets from students at the end of the lesson.
  6. Check and verify that the students’ body measurements are relatively correct.  (No student should be over 70 inches tall or 105 degrees Fahrenheit, etc.)
  7. Compile student’s physical data from the worksheets and type them neatly on one sheet of paper.  Type in the boys’ data first, then the girls, so that boy/girl comparisons will be easily made after creation of graphs (step 6)  

 

 

Part 2 (the next day)

  1. Take students to the computer lab.  Have them sit in the same pairs as the previous measurement activity.
  2. Lead a discussion on spreadsheets and graphs (Possible discussion questions:  Given its many functions, what can the Excel program be used for?  Where have you seen the use of a spreadsheet, chart, or graph?) for about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Hand out the worksheets to each student pair.
  4. Demonstrate (with your computer projected onto the screen for the class to see) how to open Excel program, open a new spreadsheet, and type in the measurement categories, student names, and data.  (The spreadsheet should look like the one attached to this lesson plan)
  5. Allow sufficient time for students to type in data (15 to 20 minutes).
  6. After the class is done typing in data and ready for the next step, model the conversion of tables into various graphs.  Let the class work along with you.  Take your time and be patient, being sensitive to questions along the way.  Talk your way through the steps you take in converting the table into graphs. 
  7. Convert the heights into bar graphs, hand span into bar graphs, weights into line graphs, and temperature into pie charts.  Let the students model along with you as you demonstrate.
  8. Show students how to save their spreadsheets and graphs into the hard drive.
  9. When students are finished creating graphs, discuss the trends and patterns.  (Possible discussion questions:  correlation between height/hand span bar graphs?  Trends among boys and girls?  What does the pie chart indicate about average body temperature?  (98.1 degrees)  Is the tallest student necessarily the heaviest/”hottest”/have the biggest hands?  How about with the shortest?  General observations about graphs/trends/patterns, etc…) 

 

Evaluation Procedure

 

Class work review:  Student pairs’ spreadsheets and graphs will be retrieved and reviewed.  If assignment was done correctly, students’ spreadsheet and graph should resemble those of the teacher’s.