Skateboards

Lesson Details Subject: Math Learning Level: Middle School Author(s): group Submitted by:

Abstract Students will work changing fractions to percents in life applications. Lesson fundamental understandings: Essential Questions: - How are decimals and percents compared? - Compare and order decimals and percents by converting from one to the other. - Work flexibly with decimals and percents to solve problems. Standards National Standards Work flexibly with fractions and percents to solve problems. State Standards Nevada Mathematics Content Standards and Indicators of Progress- Grade 7 1.7.6 Compare and order groups containing a mix of fractions, percents, and decimals(e.g., on a number line) Lesson Prerequisite Skills -Students will have prior knowledge of how to work with fractions (basic operations). -Students will have prior knowledge of how to work with percents (basic operations). -Students will be able to compare fractions with fractions. -Students will be able to compare percents with percents. Teacher Information/Situations/Setting/Time Teacher information: Teacher will teach conversion of fractions to percents. Students and teacher will interact to discuss the example provided. Situation: Students are presented with the case of two manufacturing plants that produce skateboards of the same quality and costs. Plant A produces 1436 skateboards per week. 46 of those are returned due to defects. Plant B produces 1652 skateboards per week, with 5% of them being returned due to defects. The students will be asked to decide which plant does a better job, and explain why. A teacher should be aware of the many aspects that this unit might present itself. What is the better company, one with a small amount defected items or one who can cover those defective costs and have a larger income? A teacher could add more economic levels if desired. Setting/ Time This lesson will take one 90-minute period or two 45 minute periods. Assessment Assessment will be continuous through out the lesson based on questioning, discussions and modeling. If you plan to add more economic values to this problem, you might want to think about having students design a portfolio for detailed explanation of answers. Student Activity/Tasks - Students will discuss the factory problem in small groups. - Students will share with the class their ideas. - As needed, the teacher will suggest ways of converting fractions into decimals and then into percents. - The class will complete guided practice in converting fractions into percents. - The teacher will monitor student progress and guide as needed. - Students will complete 5 problems of independent practice. - After students are able to change fractions into percents through converting into decimals first, they will be asked if they can think of a method to reverse the process. -Students will demonstrate and explain possible solutions. Class will discuss possible methods. - Teacher will model correct method of changing a decimal into a fraction. - Students will come to the board to model changing percents into decimals and then fractions. - Students will explain logic. - The class will complete independent practice. - After students are able to convert between the two forms by way decimals. - Students will be presented a pair of numbers to compare. - Students will be asked to explain logic. -Students and class will complete independent practice. Enrichment/Alternate Activity: Enrichment might be provided by using a spreadsheet to convert between the fractions and percents. Cross-Curricular: Students can use percents and fractions in calculations in science. Students when comparing fractions and percents in the lesson problem they are probing into the economic world. Technology Requirements/Tools/Materials Students will use spreadsheets to aid in the conversions of fractions to deicmals- *teachers will set a template first. Students may use calculators in the aid of conversions. Websites may be used to help aid in the conversions. http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/webmath/fract2dec.html Acknowledgements: Chris Kairy Additional Resources Main URL: Related Lessons Related Resources Copyright © 1997-2003 Career Connection to Teaching with Technology USDOE Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Marshall Ransom, Project Manager All rights reserved.