Activity Detail
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Lifting a Lion
 


Activity Overview

Students learn to solve a real-world problem. Using a toy lion and a lever, students discover how much work is needed to raise the toy lion. They use proportions to determine the force needed to lift a real lion.

Before the Activity

  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 9 - 15 from the attached PDF file for your class
  • Review the four step problem solving process with the students

    		•

    		During the Activity

    		Distribute the pages to the class.

    Follow the activity procedures:
  • Read the first section of the book to understand the problem

  • Construct a lever with a 12-inch ruler and pencil as the fulcrum
  • Place a 5-gram weight at one end of the ruler and the fulcrum pencil at the 6-inch mark
  • Place masses at the other end of the lever until the 5-gram mass is lifted
  • Repeat the process with the fulcrum at other locations
  • Record the results on a chart and look for patterns


  • Use the information to create a plan to weigh a toy lion
  • Create a chart of the amount of work needed to lift a toy lion with the fulcrum positioned at 50 cm, 25 cm, and 75 cm away from the toy lion
  • Present the facts of a real lion to the class
  • Determine the amount of work it will take to lift a real lion using a 100-foot lever with the fulcrum 25 feet, 50 feet, and 75 feet from the lion
  • Have the students write their explanation to the problem of finding the amount of work needed to lift a real lion with a hundred foot lever


    • Using Proportions
  • Use the calculator to determine the fractional part of the class that likes each flavor
  • Find the number of students in the school that prefer each flavor

    		After the Activity

    		Students examine the various solutions presented.

  • Review student results
  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary

    		Other Downloads




    view standards alignment
    view textbook alignment

    Subject Area:
    Math : Elementary Math : Algebraic Thinking
    Math : Elementary Math : Math and Literature
    Math : Elementary Math : Measurement
    Math : Middle Grades Math : Problem Solving
    Math : Middle Grades Math : Algebraic Thinking
    Math : Middle Grades Math : Measurement
    Math : Middle Grades Math : Probability, Statistics and Data Analysis
    Math : Elementary Math : Probability, Statistics and Data Analysis

    Author:
    Texas Instruments

    Level:
    5-8, K-4

    Activity Time:
    60 Minutes

    Device:
    TI-15 Explorer™

    Apps:
     

    Software:
     

    Accessories:
     

    Other:
    This is Activity 2 from the EXPLORATIONS Book:
    A World of Mathematics: Activities for Grades 4, 5, and 6 Using the TI-15

    The following materials are required for this activity:

  • How Do You Lift a Lion? by Robert E. Wells, Christy Grant (Editor), Albert Whitman & Co
  • Ruler
  • Meter stick or thin but not pliable board with meter stick attached with tape
  • 3 Pencils taped together in a triangular prism shape or other object for fulcrum
  • Small toy lion (or other small bean-bag type animal)
  • Balance
  • Stacking gram masses, or balls of clay or washers weighing about 1 - 5 grams each
  • Paper, pencils


    • Report an issue with this activity