Mathematics Grade Prototype Curriculum Guide

Objectives

The students should be able to

• 
  describe the position of an object;
  
• 
  describe the direction of an object’s motion: up, down, forward, backward.
  

Materials needed

• 
  Unlined paper
  
• 
  Graph paper
  
• 
  Notebook paper
  
• 
  Attached “Community Park Map”
  
• 
  Attached activity sheet
  
• 
  Science journals
  
• 
  Ball
  

Instructional activity

Content/Teacher Notes

In the science of physics, the position of an object must always be described in relation to some point of reference. From this reference point, an object’s direction can be determined by describing the motion of the object as up, down, left, right, forward, or backward of the original reference point. The change of position of an object is called “motion.” One can demonstrate motion by referring to the direction taken, for example, “I moved up the stairs.”

Introduction

1. Ask students to explain their position in the room.

2. Next, ask the students to explain their position in the room without using directional words and phrases, such as beside, in front of, or behind.

3. Tell the students they will be participating in an activity called “Where Am I?” that will help them describe the position of something, as well as the direction of an object’s motion.

4. Give each student an object, such as a ball. Ask the students to move the ball up, then down. Ask them to bring the ball forward, and then backward. These actions describe the direction of the object’s motion.

Procedure

1. Instruct students to make a dot with a pencil somewhere on a sheet of unlined paper. Have students describe in their journal or on another sheet of paper, the location of the dot.

2. On the same sheet of unlined paper, have students make a second dot and describe the location of the second dot in relation to the first dot.

3. Have students trade their descriptions with one another, and challenge them to follow the descriptions in order to place two dots on another sheet of paper that will look like the original.

4. Have the students repeat this exercise with lined notebook paper, and then again with graph paper.

5. Have students complete the “Community Park” activity.

Observations and Conclusions

1. Ask students the following questions upon completion of the exercise:

• 
  Did you find it easier each time to identify the location of the dots?
  
• 
  Why was it easier to describe the location of the dots on the lined paper and the graph paper? Did you find that you could use phrases such as “the fourth block down” or “the second row from the top left corner”?
  

2. Have students explain why there must be a reference point in order to find an object’s position.

Sample assessment

• 
  Check the accuracy of the students’ journal writing. Make sure the descriptions are well-written and informative.
  
• 
  As the students move from unlined paper to lined paper to graph paper, monitor their progress by walking around the room and questioning them.
  
• 
  General map skills can be used to reinforce this concept: give students a map, a location, and destination, and have them find the destination.
  

Follow-up/extension

• 
  Have students map out the classroom or schoolyard and write directional instructions for locating various points on the map.
  
• 
  Have students play “Directional Simon Says” by being given commands such as “move 5 steps south of your chair.” Be sure to use a compass beforehand to determine north, south, east, and west. Designate the due-north point of the room by posting a piece of paper with a large “N” on it.
  
• 
  Create a scavenger hunt, using directional terms.
  

Resources

• 
  Connections: Connecting Books to the Virginia SOLs. Fairfax County Public Schools and The College of William and Mary. http://www.fcps.edu/cpsapps/connections. Presents a database of more than 1,000 works of children’s literature and their connection to the Virginia Standards of Learning.
  
• 
  Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12. National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). http://www.nsta.org/ostbc.
  
• 
  Search for Literature: Literature for Science and Mathematics. California Department of Education. http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/sc/ll/ap/searchlist.asp. Offers a searchable database.
  

Community Park Map

Merry-go-round

N
Picnic shelter






Swings and slides





















Park offices

Plaza

Swimming pool Skateboard ramps





100 m

Parking

Community Park Activity Sheet

In this activity, you will learn how to use a map to help describe position and motion.

Use the “Community Park Map” to answer the following questions:

1. What directions will you have to travel to go from the swimming pool to the picnic shelter?

2. What direction describes the path you would take when moving from the skateboard ramps to the swings and slides?

3. Where do you end up if you travel directly N of the plaza?

4. You need to meet a friend for lunch. What directions would you give her if she starts at the swimming pool and your meeting place is the picnic shelter?

Investigating Motion, Using the Inclined Plane

Organizing Topic Investigating Motion

Overview Students investigate motion, using an inclined plane.

Related Standards of Learning 4.1c, d, e, f, h; 4.2a, b, c, d