Students will complete the surveyor wheel challenge where they are making their own surveyor wheel using different size wheels and use it to measure various walking distances. They design a course for a 5K race on their school grounds. Through the challenge and 1 or 2 follow-up lessons, the mathematical purpose to deepen understanding and use the proportional relationship between number of rotations and distance traveled by the wheel (7.RP.A) and a greater understanding of the relationship between diameter and circumference (7.G.B.4, if students are already familiar with this relationship). They will engage in mathematical practices 5 (appropriate tools) and 6 (attending to precision).
Building a maker mindset (link)
Other mathematical purposes: Scale drawings 7.G.A.1
Prior Experience:
This maker lesson cycle can be used to gain a deeper understand about the relationship between diameter (D) and circumference (C) of a circle: $C = \pi\cdot D$. In this case students should already be familiar with this relationship. This activity is not intended to be used to introduce it.
Lessons:
Learning Cycle Wrapup:
Teacher summary
Assessment:
Progress in Standards for Mathematical Practice assessment
Progress in Mathematical content assessment
Progress in Maker mindset assessment
Teacher Reflection:
[questions and discussion for teacher reflection after teaching learning cycle]