Introduction
This would be a nice activity to do at the beginning of spring, as the baseball season gets underway.  Students will be given two teams to investigate.  They will be asked to make a scaled drawing of their teams’ stadium.  One drawing should fit on an 8½ x 11  piece of paper and the second drawing should be on a regular size construction paper.  The students should come out with the appropriate ratio and be able to explain to the class why their ratio is the correct one.

Subject: Math
Topic: Measurement & Geometry
Grade Level: 7th
Student Lesson name and URL: http://ctap295.ctaponline.org/~omartine/student/

 

 

 

Stadiums In America

Math: Measurement and Geometry       Seventh Grade   

1.0 Students choose appropriate units of measure and use ratios to convert within and between measurement systems to solve problems:

     1.2 Construct and read drawings and models made to scale.

Instructional Objectives

1. Students need to find and write down the playing field dimensions for a pre-assigned baseball stadium.
2. Students will  scale actual field dimensions, so that the scaled dimensions fit in an 8 ½ x 11 piece of paper.
3. Students will make a scaled drawing of the baseball field on an 8 ½ x 11 piece of paper.
4. Students will write a rationale on why they chose their specific dimensions.  It should include the math used to convert from the actual dimensions to the scaled dimensions.
5. Upon request students will define 5 words out of a list of 8 that are components of the lesson.

http://www.majorleaguebaseball.com

http://www.mathleague.com/help/ratio/ratio.htm

http://www.hbschool.com/glossary/math/

     
Introductory Activity 

Pre Test

Model Vehicles                                                                                                                  In groups of four, students will receive a scale model.  Using the information that is supplied in the package students will have to come up with the proper dimensions of the given object. They will have to explain to the class the rationale that they used in coming up with the dimensions.

Enabling

Students will start of the lesson by practicing analyzing a map.  Their first activity will be to calculate the amount of miles that a baseball team travels on an average road trip.
Activity 1

Culminating Activity

Students will pick a second baseball stadium to scale down to fit on a ( ) construction paper.  They will need to include their new calculations and their rationale.  As students present their final product to the class, they will need to answer a series of questions about the importance of ratio and proportion.

Assignments will be graded based on the following rubric.  Students will get a copy of it before they start any of the activities.  Class will be given the opportunity to make modifications upon approval.