Activity Detail
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Coast to Coast with Alice
 


Activity Overview

Students learn to solve a real-world problem comparing automobile travel in the early 1900s and travel today. They follow the route taken by Alice in 1909 from New York City to San Francisco and determine how long the trip would take today.

Before the Activity

  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 23 - 29 from the attached PDF file for your class
  • Review the four steps of problem solving with the students

    		•

    		During the Activity

    		Distribute the pages to the class.

    Follow the activity procedures:
  • Read the book to understand the facts given and the task to be done
  • Note down the miles traveled, route taken, car used, the average speed, and the total time taken by Alice
  • Create a plan to repeat the trip using a current model car
  • Find the total time the trip will take
  • Create a display in which is marked - the actual route taken, the mileage for each section, the total distance traveled, the average speed for each section, and the average speed for the entire trip
  • Write an explanation of the team's solution


    • Using stored operations with a constant
  • Use the stored operations with a constant function on the calculator to solve problems

    		After the Activity

    		Students show the marked map and graphics they created to solve the problem.

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

    		Other Downloads




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    view textbook alignment

    Subject Area:
    Math : Elementary Math : Math and Literature
    Math : Middle Grades Math : Problem Solving
    Math : Middle Grades Math : Measurement

    Author:
    Texas Instruments

    Level:
    5-8, K-4

    Activity Time:
    60 Minutes

    Device:
    TI-15 Explorer™

    Apps:
     

    Software:
     

    Accessories:
     

    Other:
    This is Activity 4 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:

  • Coast to Coast with Alice by Patricia Rusch Hyatt, Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 1995
  • United States road maps
  • Paper, pencils


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