Baseball Proportion: Teacher Notes
MA.7.A.1.6
Conceptual Understanding
Proportional Reasoning
Scale Factor
SimilarityProcedural Knowledge
Solve Proportions
Problem Solving
Reasoning
Communication
Connections
Representation
Have one student model a batting stance with a regulation size baseball bat. Have another student model the batting stance with a souvenir miniature baseball bat. Ask the class, "Why does the student with the souvenir bat look so funny?"
Students work in individually or in pairs
- 1 regulation-sized baseball
bat
- 1 souvenir miniature baseball
bat
- 1 piece of posterboard
for each student
- 1 metric measuring tape for each student
- Measure the length of
the regular bat in centimeters.
- Measure the length of
the souvenir bat in centimeters.
- Measure the height of
the student holding the regular bat.
- Determine how tall a person
should be in order to be proportional to the souvenir bat.
- Using the posterboard,
draw a person the correct height.
- Have students show their work and/or explain in words the process for determining the correct height of the figure on the posterboard.
As a result of this activity, students learn to use ratios and proportions to solve real world problems involving models and drawings.
Rubric (4 points):
- Assignment is completed on time.
- Figure’s height measures within 0.5 cm of the correct height.
- Written explanation shows good thinking and calculations are correct.
- Poster board figure is neat and creative in design.