Activity Detail
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Activity Overview

Students solve a real-world problem of creating a musical instrument from empty 1-liter bottles. They use fractional equivalents to tune the bottles.

Before the Activity

  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 71 - 77 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 problem statement
  • Understand how much water is to be filled in each bottle to make each pitch by blowing across the opening
  • Calculate the amount of water to be filled in each bottle
  • Fill the bottles with different amounts of water
  • Play each numbered bottle in order
  • Create a chart showing the amount of water in each bottle and how the amounts were calculated


    • Multiplying fractions
  • Solve problems involving multiplication of fractions

    		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




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    view textbook alignment

    Subject Area:
    Math : Elementary Math : Number Sense and Estimation
    Math : Middle Grades Math : Problem Solving
    Math : Middle Grades Math : Number Sense

    Author:
    Texas Instruments

    Level:
    5-8, K-4

    Activity Time:
    60 Minutes

    Device:
    TI-15 Explorer™

    Apps:
     

    Software:
     

    Accessories:
     

    Other:
    This is Activity 11 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:

  • Empty 1-liter bottles
  • Empty 2-liter bottles
  • Water
  • Funnels
  • Rulers (metric and customary)
  • Metric measuring cup or graduated cylinder


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