Using The Basketball Game To Teach About Percentages

This week we are working on our basketball basics. We learned how to dribble, pass and shoot. We talked about how to shoot and where to shoot from. We had the kids keep track of their shots and how successful they were from each spot. We introduced the concept of percentages in an easy form of “I made 5 out of 10 shots from inside the lane.” We also talked about shooting from outside the lane. We had the kids track how successful they were from outside the lane. They had to write down in the simple form of “I made 2 out of 10 from outside the lane.” This led us to questioning how effective we could be from different spots on the floor. We asked the kids how they would do from the different spots (estimation) and then they saw the real world numbers telling how successful they really were.

Constructing The Basketball Court- The Lane

The problem that I presented to my small group of 5th grade students is how to line the basketball court. In this case we are making the lane. First we talked about diagramming the area. We talked about the standard measurements of the key as it pertains to the junior level. We found these measurements on line. It gave us the dimensions in diagram form. We then talked about what tools we would need. We said we would need the tape measure, string line, chalk, square and paint.
While we were constrtucting the lane we also made the circle. We used our string line with chalk attached. It was here we were able to identify the center, measure the diameter and discuss the radius. After we chalked out the circle and lane we painted.
Some problems that I am running into is the simple place of where to start. The students need to learn where would be the logical place to start. We need to start with what is given or presented. We need to start with a logical order.

This past week I worked with a group that measured, marked and painted a lane. I brought that same group out the next day and they couldn’t tell me where to start. Maybe all we need is more practice.

Our basketball skills lesson was on the lane. We talked about the rule of 3 seconds in the lane. We talked about the offensive strategy of moving in and out the lane. We talked about the rule concerning moving into the lane on a free throw. We talked about the defensive strategy regarding the defense wanting to control the court from the inside/out. During our small sided games the defense had to stay inside the lane.

Outcomes From the Construct a Football Field Lesson

To construct the football field the students at first wanted to guess instead of using the tools (surveyors wheel, string line) that were provided. They were guessing I believe because they didn’t understand the procedure or pattern. We then discussed what was already set up for us. I asked if there was anything already in place that gives us a straight line to work from. They said the sidewalk. We then talked about having the corners set up and then measuring everything off of those set points. They also wanted to move the string line to conform to the string line instead of moving the sideline cones. We will next introduce the use of the square and the idea of 90 degree corners. We will also discuss what is a surveyor and what they do.

Constructing A Football Field

To teach the students about the importance of having good number sense we used the situation of constructing a football field. We presented the problem to the kids that we wanted a field that had even sides and was squared up. We gave the students the measurements of 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. We gave them the tools of the surveyor's wheel and a string line. They used the wheel to determine the length of all the sides. The kids used the string line to make sure the sidelines were straight. They used the wheel to mark every ten feet with cones . We will introduce the builders square next week so that the rectangle truly can be in square.
In the previous weeks we have taught the children about using standard and non standard measurement. They learned that so many steps would equal ten feet. They had been marking the field using the pacing method. We introduced algebraic thinking by asking them to tell us how many steps it would take to equal 10, 20, ...100 feet.
This was also helpful in the football game because the defensive line has to stand back ten feet before the snap. We also make the children go 30 feet for the first down.
As a side note we have the students keep score on our flip the numbers board. We reinforce the terms of tens and ones while they are changing the score.

Relevant Math-Making a Fence For the Cucumber Plants To Vine Out

This entry is an example of how we use the garden to teach literacy. This past week we had to construct a fence for the cucumber plants so that they can vine out. We started with our problem. A real world problem for the kids to solve. We wanted the vines to grow along the fence. We determined that we needed 3 foot lengths of wooden stakes. We had 12 foot lengths of wood. We asked the students how many stakes could we get out of the 12 foot lengths. These are kids who can recite their 3 or 4 times tables no problem. When hit with the real world scenario they were locked up. Only one girl could answer the problem of 4-3 foot lengths. We discussed how we wanted to keep the cost down so we wanted to use only the wood we had. After she answered the question and we retaught why we learn our times tables and division we built the fence. They hammered the stakes into the ground and constructed the fence. I checked for understanding again after the job. All 4 of the students could answer the question.

Teaching About Distance Using The Football Throw

After we do our normal warm ups, stretches and strengthening exercises we have the kids set up our field to measure how far they can throw the football. The numbers go from 0-100 feet in 10 foot increments. The students take turns throwing the football as far as they can. They record the length of the 3 separate throws in their journals. The kids are given jobs such as impact marker, ball retriever and 2 relay throwers that give the ball back to the next person throwing for distance. After the mark the students must figure out how far they threw the ball. In today's lesson we rounded up or down to the nearest 10 foot mark. Questioning includes asking the students for predictions, estimations and trends.
This is another lesson that shows that our kids have mastered the ten times tables but have a hard time using that info in a real world setting. It was not easy for them to figure out where the ten foot markers should go. At first they put the markers in a circle. We had previously taught them how to pace out 10 feet. We have had lines on the ground that marked ten feet increments for the past year. Once we reasoned through the ten and twenty foot markers they did pick up on how to place the rest of the markers. 
Extensions of this lesson could include getting a total of the feet thrown, finding the average, charting the throws, etc. We hope to increase the number sense of our students.
Throughout the lesson we critique the throw to show the basic proper throw. We use point, step throw as a mnemonic.

Teaching About Tens Using Agility Exercises

We have been using our time sprinting, hopping, etc to teach about addition by tens. This lesson incorporates measurement, addition and agility. First we do our warm ups and stretches. These include multiplication jumping jacks including counting by tens. We then line up the students in lines that are ten feet apart. We point out that the measurement they are standing on is 0 feet. We put out visual cues that consist of cones with 10 to 50 feet signs on them. When we give instructions to run we include the measurement in feet. Running across the width of the field today is 50 feet. We then asked our kids to locate where the 10 foot marker using the strategy of some many steps equals 10 feet. We then give instructions to jog 10 feet and run the other ___ feet. The kids have to figure out the rest of the distance. We then ask the students to identify where the 20, 30 and 40 foot distance. The next instructions include commands such as run backward 20 feet and then run forward ____ feet. The kids have to figure out what the distance is. We then asked the kids to figure out how far to go with the instruction of the starting point is also the finish point. We give them directions such as 100 feet, 80, 60 and 40 feet. We found that the kids had a firm grasp of saying their 10 times tables but it was hard for them to put it to use in a real world setting. We hope this will improve their number sense.