LESSON PLAN: NEW-TRITIONAL INFO    

Content Standards: 

6.RP.3 - Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations.

6.NS.3 - Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation.

Mathematical Practices: 

MP.3 - Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

MP.6 - Attend to precision.

Lesson End Product:  Poster

Lesson Objectives:

• Calculate the number of calories burned per minute for different types of exercise and body weights 
• Correctly write units (e.g. calories, cal/min, etc.) and simplify equations using them 
• Calculate how long it would take to burn off menu items from McDonald’s 

Lesson Plan Details

Students are to predict the objective of the project and create an essential question based off the initial article read and discussed in a fishbowl setting. Students, in groups, will investigate how long a person has to excercise in order to burn off calories. Students will work with unit rates, basic arithmetic skills, proportions, and numerical equations to effectively understand the task. There are three phases students will engage over a course of 5 days. The first phase is the launch activity where students watch a multimedia McDonald's video of a celebrity basketball player. They are presented with an open-ended question to activate brainstorming ideas of the various factors which may affect a person's ability to burn calories. As well as pay attention to various body types and weight which may also affect ability to burn calories faster or slower, which not directly pointed out to them at this time.  Students brainstorm in groups on more driving questions and create a poster of the factors their group believes affects the different body types. In phase two students are presented with varied body types, weights, and exercises; providing students an opportunity to practice calculating calories burned per minute. In this phase reflect upon their discussed factors and the results of their calculations. The goal is for them to discover the three main affecting factors: body type, body weight, and time spent doing the exercise. In phase three task widens the perspective of what may affect ability to burn calories, such as including varied exercises or different McDonald meals higher or lower in calories. Phase three is flexible providing students the opportunity to chose a particular person, three types of exercises, and four types of McDonald items (which vary in calorie, two on the high side and two on the low side). Students are then to add to their poster a compare & contrast chart illustrating their discoveries and any misconceptions in regards to food type, exercise, and body weight. Students are provided 'Deeper Understanding' driving questions to guide students in their discussion. 

Lesson Differentiation

ELL - Partner with a fluent English and native Spanish speaking student; front-load and provide initial article - translated in Spanish - the day before actual activity with tier 2 and 3 vocabulary defined

GIFTED - Provide multiple opportunities to respond to open-ended questions relative to the task, inclusive of the 'Deeper Understanding' questions provided with lesson

SPECIAL NEEDS - Front-load by pulling students at the end of the day prior to activity and work on fractions, multiplication & division facts, and setting up unit rate problems to prepare creating a resource page; provide a partner who has a high math fluency; provide a multiplication chart or calculator 

Differentiation provided for ELL and Special Needs students are chosen to alleviate anxiety and frustration during the task with peers. Partnering such students with more fluent students provides an opportunity to practice English Language structures, academic vocabulary, reading & writing skills. Differentiation for Gifted students allows them to extend their thinking beyond investigating for the 'Best' answer. The 'Deeper Understanding' questions are more broad and real-world connected. Each group defined has differentiation that is most appropriate for them to increase their higher order thinking and problem-solving skills.

Reference: 

Mathalicious, (n.d.). New-Tritional Info. PBLU, Buck Institute for Education (BIE). Retrieved from http://pblu.org/projects/new-tritional-info