Ontario Alignment By Grade
Ontario Alignment By Overall Expectation
Introducing Distance-Time Graphs & Graphing Stories
This 3 act math task was created as a simple, yet powerful way to introduce distance-time graphs and other various graphs of linear and non-linear relationships between two variables. In particular, I’m looking to address the following specific expectations from the grade 9 math courses in Ontario:
Grade 9 Applied LR4.02 & Grade 9 Academic LR3.02:
- LR4.02 – describe a situation that would explain the events illustrated by a given graph of a relationship between two variables (Sample problem: The walk of an individual is illustrated in the given graph, produced by a motion detector and a graphing calculator. Describe the walk [e.g., the initial distance from the motion detector, the rate of walk].);
Task 1, Act 1 – Introduce the Problem
Show this video.
Ask students what they wonder? What questions come to mind?
Write down some of the questions/ideas that students share.
Task 1, Act 2 – Give Some Information
Show this video.
Students are now given the distance of the walk and the amount of time it took me to walk the distance.
By now, either students will have come to the conclusion or you can share the question that we’re hoping to begin with:
What does the distance-time graph look like of my walk?
I usually have my students sketch out a graph on their desks using non-permanent markers, but you might opt to give them a grid like this one that Dan Meyer and the BuzzMath folks shared on their Graphing Stories website.
Then, I’ll get my kids into Knowledgehook Gameshow to do the remainder of the task interactively. I’ll play videos (there are 10 different walks) and students can sketch the graph, select from options I send to their screens, and then upload a solution of their work.
Note that when I embed questions on my blog, the upload solution option does not work.
Here’s the first Knowledgehook question:
Task 1, Act 3 – Show the Answer
After students have responded and you’ve shared out some of their sketches to the projector to discuss as a group, you can play the Act 3 video.
My kids had some fun doing this activity in class. Obviously, if you have calculator-based rangers (CBRs) for your TI-83’s or digital versions that connect to your tablets/phones, that is an obvious cool activity to do as well. You can also have students create their own videos with their iPads/tablets like Jon Orr does with his class.
Interactive Math Task Activity Page
Send your students through an interactive math task with Embedded Gameshow (like the questions you see above). This is similar to the Interactive Math Learning Journeys I have posted in the past.
Task Resources:
Here’s all the videos on YouTube for all 10 of the walks:
Task 1 [act 1 | act 2 | act 3]
Task 2 [act 2 | act 3]
Task 3 [act 2 | act 3]
Task 4 [act 2 | act 3]
Task 5 [act 2 | act 3]
Task 6 [act 2 | act 3]
Task 7 [act 2 | act 3]
Task 8 [act 2 | act 3]
Task 9 [act 2 | act 3]
Task 10 [act 2 | act 3]
Here’s a YouTube Playlist with ALL of the walks. Pretty convenient to have all the acts of the ten walks in one, big playlist.
New to Using 3 Act Math Tasks?
Download the 2-page printable 3 Act Math Tip Sheet to ensure that you have the best start to your journey using 3 Act math Tasks to spark curiosity and fuel sense making in your math classroom!
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About Kyle Pearce
I’m Kyle Pearce and I am a former high school math teacher. I’m now the K-12 Mathematics Consultant with the Greater Essex County District School Board, where I uncover creative ways to spark curiosity and fuel sense making in mathematics. Read more.
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Grade 3 [3.B1.5, 3.B2.1, 3.B2.3, 3.B2.7, Measurement - M1, Number Sense and Numeration - NS1, Number Sense and Numeration - NS3]
Grade 4 [4.B2.1, 4.B2.4, 4.E2.5, 4.E2.6, Measurement - M1, Number Sense and Numeration - NS1, Number Sense and Numeration - NS3, Patterning and Algebra - PA2]
Grade 5 [5.B1.7, 5.B2.9, 5.D1.3, 5.D1.6, 5.E2.6, 5.F1.2, 5.F1.5, Measurement - M1, Measurement - M2, Number Sense and Numeration - NS1, Number Sense and Numeration - NS3, Patterning and Algebra - PA2]
Grade 6 [6.B2.12, 6.B2.9, Data Management and Probability - DP3, Measurement - M1, Measurement - M2, Number Sense and Numeration - NS1, Number Sense and Numeration - NS2, Number Sense and Numeration - NS3, Patterning and Algebra - PA1, Patterning and Algebra - PA2]
Grade 7 [7.B1.3, 7.B1.4, 7.B1.7, 7.B2.2, 7.B2.3, 7.C1.1, 7.C1.2, 7.C1.3, 7.C1.4, 7.D1.6, Data Management and Probability - DP3, Geometry and Spatial Sense - GS1, Measurement - M1, Measurement - M2, Number Sense and Numeration - NS1, Number Sense and Numeration - NS2, Number Sense and Numeration - NS3, Patterning and Algebra - PA1, Patterning and Algebra - PA2]
Grade 8 [8.B1.4, 8.B2.5, 8.C1.1, 8.C1.2, 8.C1.3, 8.C1.4, Data Management and Probability - DP1, Data Management and Probability - DP3, Geometry and Spatial Sense - GS2, Measurement - M1, Measurement - M2, Number Sense and Numeration - NS1, Number Sense and Numeration - NS2, Number Sense and Numeration - NS3, Patterning and Algebra - PA1, Patterning and Algebra - PA2]
Grade 9 [9.B3.5, 9.C3.1, 9.C3.2, 9.C3.3]
Kindergarten [k.15.1, k.15.10, k.15.2]
MAP4C [Mathematical Models - MM1, Mathematical Models - MM2, Mathematical Models - MM3]
MAT1LMAT2LMBF3C [Data Management - DM1, Data Management - DM2, Geometry and Trigonometry - GT1, Geometry and Trigonometry - GT2, Mathematical Models - MM1, Mathematical Models - MM2, Mathematical Models - MM3]
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Grade 2 [2.NBT.5, 2.NBT.B.5, 2.NBT.B.8, 2.NBT.B.9, 2.OA.2, 2.OA.A.1, 2.OA.B.2]
Grade 3 [3.MD.C.5, 3.NBT.2, 3.NF.1, 3.NF.2, 3.NF.3, 3.NF.A.1, 3.OA.1, 3.OA.5, 3.OA.9]
Grade 4 [4-MD.3, 4.MD.1, 4.MD.2, 4.NBT.6, 4.NF.3, 4.NF.5, 4.NF.6, 4.OA.1, 4.OA.5]
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Hi! I love this activity, but I’m having trouble accessing the Knowledgehook questions that are embedded. When I log into Knowledgehook I see my teacher “mainpage” but no active gameshows. When I have a student log in, their account shows no active gameshows? I feel like I’m missing something obvious – any ideas? Thanks!