Mathematics Lesson Study Plan Math Journeys – Mann Magnet Middle School - June 29, 2011

5th Grade – Playing with Parachutes

Lesson Facilitator: Kristy Davis & Lauren Griffin

Lesson Study Team: Jim Gonzalez, Monica Graham, Ronisha Johnson, Cheryl Wilson,

Myrna Thomas, Keitha Savage, and Christy Strong

Lesson Objective: The goal of this lesson is for students to develop a parachute that

can carry a metal washer with the slowest rate of descent. To design parachutes out of

everyday materials and then test their designs. Students then evaluate the

effectiveness of their parachutes and those of other teams, and present their findings

to the class.

Long Term Goals:

Students will be able to express themselves verbally and in writing.

Students will develop resilience and perseverance to better face difficult tasks.

Students will be intrinsically motivated to discover and explore new ideas.

Students will have confidence in themselves and their abilities.

Students will incorporate vocabulary such as area, mean, average, air resistance,

force, and gravity to brainstorm and evaluate their parachute.

Students will understand the engineering process and be able to relate it to

mathematical problem solving.

Mathematical Practice Standard focus:

Standard 1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Standard 5: Use appropriate tools strategically.

Common Core focus:

National Science Education Standards:

Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry

Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Principles and Standards for School Mathematics:

Measurement Standard: Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and

formulas to determine measurements.

Materials needed: Student Resource Sheets

Student Worksheets

Meter stick

2

Small ladder (for teacher use only)

one set of materials for each group of students:

o roll of string

o plastic trash bag

o plastic shopping bag

o several sheets of copy paper (4)

o coffee filters (5)

o newspaper (2 sheets)

o aluminum foil (2 ft.)

o scissors

o masking tape

o metal washer (3cm diameter)

o ruler

sample diagram Calculators

Lesson Process: Teacher’s statements, directions, and questions

Expected Student

Responses

Notes

Opening: (7 minutes).

Teacher: “We have a new design challenge for

you today, but first I want you to watch a quick

video.” (Show 1 minute video of people with parachutes

crashing.)

Teacher: “Why were there so many crashes in the

video? What do you think the design challenge will

be for today?

Teacher: Now you are going to have a similar

design challenge to work on today.

Teachers: Hands out problem

Students: Read and discuss Problem with your

partner (1 minute) Teachers: (Using the design process anchor

chart) Who can tell me what they have read and

discussed? Who can restate what was just said?

What questions do we have?

“Before we begin working on this design challenge,

let’s think back and be reminded of what we already

know about landings from our previous design

challenges.

Problems: Going

too fast to stop,

wind blowing too

hard, couldn’t

start

We have to build a

parachute. What

does descent

mean?

It has to land

slowly.

They need padding

or weight. It

needs to float or

needs to be

balanced. If it

lands too hard it

might pop back

3

out.

Teacher’s statements, directions, and questions

Expected Student

Responses

Notes

Work Time: (20-25 minutes)

Teacher: “Next in our design process is

brainstorming (using the design process

anchor chart).

“Brainstorm Design with Partner (5 min.)

Teacher: Here are your materials you can look at

them to brainstorm your design but do not take

them out of the bag until it is time to build. (1

minute)

Show a sample diagram from the moon lander

challenge. Then, have students create a diagram

of their design. (3 minutes.) Does anyone know

what a diagram is?

Teacher: “You have 25 minutes to design, build,

and test your parachute. When you finish, you may

test your parachute with Mrs. Gram using the

stopwatch on the smart board. Make sure that

you record your time on your data sheets.

Teacher drops the parachute 3 times each per group

from the same height. The result of each drop is

recorded by each group on the data sheet chart. The

smart board will have the stopwatch. The students

then find the Mean of their group’s results and

complete the reflection questions. Teachers

circulating addressing students’ questions about

mean, etc.

As the teacher is circulating:

“What force will pull this to the ground?”

“How do you think the area of your parachute will

affect your descent?”

* It needs to be

big or light.

*Some will create

diagram and some

will need to be

prompted by

teacher.

*Teachers will

circulate to

remind students

to stay on task.

*What is mean?

What is area?

Closure: (20 minutes) Group Discussion: (group’s results) At this time, we

will go around to groups that have not finished and

prompted them to take a few minutes to complete

the reflection questions. This will differentiate for

the students that have already tested and answered

Some groups

redesigning

because their

reflection is

complete.

It was made

4

the reflection questions. “Okay students, I know that

you may not be done but I need you to stop right now

and answer these questions really quick.”

What materials did you use? Why did you use it?

Looking at our class chart, which parachute has the

slowest time? (Student brings it up to show) What do

you notice about its shape, surface area, length of

strings, or materials used? How do you think these

things affect the descent of the parachute?

How did the ones with the slowest time differ from

the faster parachutes?

What would you do to redesign your parachute?

out of plastic.

The strings

were 7 inches

long. The

longer it was,

the better it

was for

catching the

air. This

material was

better to use.

I would use a

different

material

Playing with Parachutes

r:iilli

Jun 29-7:53 AM

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Narnes:

Diagram of Parachute

Record Test Results(Time in Seconds)

Test 1

t. Whot moteriols did you use?

2. Why did you choose these moteriols?

3. Why do you think your porochute descended os fost or slow os itdid?

4. Compore your porochute to the olher groups in your closs(si mi lorities / dif f erences).