CCSS: 5.MD.A.1, 6.RP.A.1, 6.RP.A.2, 6.RP.A.3
Georgia’s K-12 Mathematics Standards: 5.MDR.7, 6.NR.2, 6.NR.4
Act 1
Ask students:
- What do you notice? Record student responses.
- What do you wonder? Record student curiosities and wonders.
Focus question(s): How much snow powder and water is needed to fill the blue bowl with snow?
Ask students to:
- Write down an estimate that is too high.
- Write down an estimate that is too low.
- Write down a best guess estimate.
- Mark each estimate on an empty number line.
Act 2
Ask students what information/tools they need to answer their question. Give them their information as they ask for it.
Act 3
- Share your solution and strategies. Compare your strategies and results.
Watch the Act 3 Reveal, then discuss using the questions that follow.
- How reasonable were your estimates?
- What might you do differently next time?
- What did you do well during this task?
Follow-up investigation:
- How much snow powder and water would it take to fill the classroom (all the way or to a certain depth)?
For more information about instant snow, check out Steve Spangler’s Website.