The Rubber Duck Race

Abstract

This Noyce Scholarship Project has two purposes: Mathematically the purpose of this exercise is to show that graphs are not a perfect representation of a concept; there are flaws and assumptions made. Students will be engaged in higher order thinking as they work through word problems for this demonstration. Scientifically, the concept of erosion/deposition along a meandering stream and the water’s differential velocity can come into play in several areas of life. Recreationally; this would be important for rafting, canoeing, kayaking, fishing etc. When looking for a place to buy or build a house, erosional and depositional features of a stream would be important to understand when trying to make an educational decision on where to live. It addresses the following Standards: Math Standards: CCSS.Math.Content.HSF-LE.A.1a Prove that linear functions grow by equal differences over equal intervals, and that exponential functions grow by equal factors over equal intervals, CCSS.Math.Content.HSF-LE.A.1b Recognize situations in which one quantity changes at a constant rate per unit interval relative to another, CCSS.Math.Content.HSF-LE.A.1c Recognize situations in which a quantity grows or decays by a constant percent rate per unit interval relative to another. Old Standards: Science Standard: Performance Indicator 2.1 Many of the phenomena that we observe on Earth involve interactions among components of air, water, and land. Old Standards: Science Standard: Performance Indicator 2.1 Many of the phenomena that we observe on Earth involve interactions among components of air, water, and land. 2.1v Patterns of deposition result from a loss of energy within the transporting system and are influenced by the size, shape, and density of the transported particles. Sediment deposits may be sorted or unsorted. Next Generation Standards: HS-ESS2-5. Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on mechanical and chemical investigations with water and a variety of solid materials to provide the evidence for connections between the hydrologic cycle and system interactions commonly known as the rock cycle.] Examples of mechanical investigations include stream transportation and deposition. Crosscutting Ideas: Stability and Change Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable. (HS-ESS2-7) Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize a system. (HS-ESS2-2) The primary file is a lesson plan, accompanied by supplemental files. In the supplemental zipped files, you will find: Student worksheets Lesson plan Powerpoint presentations