Bean Bag Olympics

Summary

A fun interactive measurement and data lesson, as your students toss bean bags to estimate, measure and graph distance using both meter and yard sticks.

Materials

• meter sticks and yardsticks
• paper and pencils
• bean bags or similar objects to toss
• large area to work in (gym or outside)

Background for Teachers

Background Knowledge:

• teachers need to be familiar with a variety of units of measure
• ensure students understanding of linear measurement
• familiar with launching a task and ensuring student participation
• comfortable with student working in groups and with manipulatives, have appropriate procedures in place.
• understanding of what a line plot is. See attached Progressions document

Student Prior Knowledge

Prior Knowledge:

• understand linear measurement
• understand repeated use of same tool for measurement
• use measurement tools appropriately
• be able to measure using meter and yard sticks
• understand and use estimation
• know how to collect and organize data

Intended Learning Outcomes

• students will be able to use estimation
• students will measure accurately and create a representation of results (MP5)
• students will make comparisons between lengths and clearly express differences(MP6)

Instructional Procedures

Pretending to compete in an Olympic Bean Bag toss by first estimating how far they can toss a bean bag, then measure the distance with both a meter and yard stick. Students will wrap up the task by plotting the difference between estimation and actual measurements on a line plot. This task covers several standards of the measurement and data domain.

Strategies for Diverse Learners

• provide graphic organizers
• option to measure using one method

Extensions

• challenge students to compare their tosses
• use other events that measure distance, long jump, etc.
• measure distance using additional tools