Post-It Waterfall

CCSS: 6.RP.3, 7.RP.3

Georgia’s K-12 Mathematics Standards: 6.NR.4, 7.PAR.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 many Post-its are there? How long will it take for the stack of Post-Its to fall?

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.

How many Post-Its are there?

post-it-waterfall-act-2-how-many-post-itsDownload

How long will it take for the stack of Post-Its to fall?

post-it-waterfall-act-2-how-long-will-it-take-the-stack-of-post-its-to-fallDownload

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?