7 feet (MathXplosion follow up)
A thinking mathematically targeted teaching opportunity focussed on using an informal unit of measurement to investigate length
Watch the episode of MathXplosion – Most people are seven feet tall on the ABC Education website.
Syllabus
Syllabus outcomes and content descriptors from Mathematics K–10 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2023
Outcomes
- MAO-WM-01
- MAE-GM-02
- MAE-GM-03
- MAO-WM-01
- MA1-GM-02
- MA1-GM-03
Collect resources
You will need:
- pencils or markers
- your mathematics workbook.
Watch
Watch the 7 feet (MathXplosion follow up) video (0:59).
[Screen reads: Trace around your foot. Screen shows white paper on the floor, with a foot on the piece of paper. They model the foot being traced around with a marker.]
[Screen reads: Now, you have your footprint! Screen shows the white paper with outlined footprint displayed.]
[Screen reads: Next, carefully cut your foot out… The screen shows the instructor cutting out the footprint outline using scissors.]
[Screen reads: Are you 7 feet tall? Can you find some things that are more than 7 feet tall? Can you find some things less than 7 feet tall? Over to you, mathematicians!]
Speaker:
Alright mathematicians, so are you 7 feet tall?
Then can you find some things that are more than your 7 feet tall?
And can you find some things that are less than your 7 feet tall?
Over to you to investigate, mathematicians.
[End of transcript]
Instructions
- Work out whether you are 7 feet tall.
- Can you find some things that are more than your 7 feet tall? Write and draw your findings in your workbook.
- Can you find somethings less than your 7 feet tall? Write and draw your findings in your workbook.