![]() ![]() Students can see how the length of the arm impacts the distance, vertical velocity upon release (linked to time in the air) and–if you’re extra bold–even horizontal velocity!) (If you’re feeling bold, you can take one step further and introduce a new variable–the length of the catapult arm. Sean Sweeney lays out a great implementation here: Sweeney Math M&M Catapult Project. With a few prepared materials, the construction won’t take too long. The boom-goes-the-dynamite way: Have students build and analyze their own catapults.Houston ISD posted a great example which also includes several other quick application problems here: Houston ISD on Quadratic Regressions. The less easy way: Give them a sample data and ready-to-go questions, but this time have students run a regression too find the equation.Here’s a heavily guided example of this approach: Pumpkin Catapult Parabola Activity (this will download as a PDF). The easy way: Give students a scenario, guided questions, and set them loose.Once they’re ready for regressions, it’s time for the magic of medieval mathematics. For example, what happens to the time it takes Barbie to hit the ground based on her starting height, assuming the angle of descent is fixed? What happens to the time it takes to hit the ground if the starting height is fixed but the angle of descent changes? This would be a great opportunity for students to develop testable hypotheses, collect data, run regressions, and see what models fit the data best! #3: Classic Quadratics… Pumpkin Catapults If you want to take this idea to another level, I have a feeling you could rig the Barbie Zipline lessons to test some great questions. Here’s the link: Quadratic Modeling – World Record Airbag. ![]() Once they think they have it, show Act 3. Enter Act 2: figuring out what you need to know to find the answer. As he hits it, the narrator cuts out just as he tries to say how fast the man was falling when he landed. The first video shows a man jumping off a tall tower with nothing–no parachute, no bungee cord, no magic squirrel suit–and aiming for an airbag far below. Quick and simple, the World Record Airbag is a 3 Acts Math problem that creates Dan’s essential intellectual need to know. A preview of Marbleslides! #2: World Record Airbag Here’s the link: Desmos – Quadratic Bundle. Polygraph works best with a device for each student and Marbleslides would work best for a device per group, but with a touch of creativity the rest can work with a single projector and whiteboard for the class. Penny Circle – This is a wonderful activity, but I prefer saving it for a future lesson on choosing the right model for a scenario.Card Sort: Parabolas – Practice sorting, creating, and interpreting parabolas.Marbleslides: Parabolas – Create graphs to destroy sets of stars in an addictive, challenging activity (a personal favorite… and I’m in good company!).Match My Parabola – Combine knowledge of intercept, vertex, and standard form with principles of transformations to build equations passing through sets of 3 points.Polygraph: Parabolas, Part 2 – Reinforce academic vocabulary used to describe parabolas.Polygraph: Parabolas – Understand and describe key features of linear systems.Will It Hit the Hoop? – Develop a need for quadratics by modeling basketball shots with linear and quadratic functions (drawn from Dan Meyer’s activity posted here).The bundle currently has the following activities, each of which take between 30 and 60 minutes to complete. (I couldn’t stop playing through the entire Marbleslides challenge… and only wish I could link here to show my favorite creations.) Desmos specializes in building conceptual understanding of functions, particularly between graphical and algebraic representations. Whenever Desmos has a bundle of activities on a topic, it’s worth a good look. Two posts from Dan Meyer help clarify: Culture Beats Curriculum and Real Work vs. By best, I’m looking for activities that engage the class with interesting puzzles and meaningful learning. This is part of my Best of the Web series, where I scour the Internet for the best free activities available today.
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