Gold Seal Lesson:
Take The Bus!

Copernicus Education Gateway

 

Subject:

Mathematics

Grade:

 

 

9-12

 

 

ICLE Standards:

 

 

  • Systems: Understand complete inter-relationships.

  • Information: Acquire and use information.

  • Resources: Identify, organize, plan, and allocate resources.

  • Basic Skills: Read, write, perform arithmetic and mathematical operations, listen and speak.

  • Interpersonal:  Work with others.

  • Thinking Skills:  Think creatively, make decisions, solve problems, visualize, know how to learn, and reason.

 

 

Performance Task:

 

 

You are new to the city and have a job interview in the downtown area.  Your task is to leave from your home in a suburban area and arrive at the interview site on time for your appointment.

You will utilize public transportation effectively.  For purposes of cooperation and collaboration, you will work with a group of other students to accomplish this task.

Students are divided into small groups with specific destinations assigned for each group in an area served by the bus line.  Each destination may involve a bus transfer allowing students to use more decision-making skills.

Classroom Preparation:

  • Each group is assigned a specific destination to reach.

  • Bus schedules and bus routing maps are provided to each group.

  • Class will role play possible unpredictable situations such as: appropriate bus etiquette, getting lost, not having enough money, no seats available, the bus breaks down, getting on the wrong bus, dealing with an unpleasant person next to you, etc.

Each group will develop a written plan for their trip and present that plan to the class.  Parent volunteers/ chaperones will accompany each group on their trip to ensure safety. Students should arrive to their destination within 15 minutes of the assigned time and return to school within 15 minutes of the assigned time.

After the trip is completed, produce a reflective account of your experience (written, verbal, photographic, artistic, etc.) What did you do?  How did it make you feel?  What unpredictable situations did you encounter and how did you solve them?  How will you use public transportation in the future?

Optional Curricular Extensions:

  • Math:  If you get the job, what will your transportation costs be per week? per month? per year?  Would there a more economical way to use public transportation?  What savings are there by using public transportation over owning and operating your own vehicle--gas, insurance, parking, maintenance

  • Science: What are the environmental impacts of the bus over the car?

  • Social Studies:  Why do cities provide public transportation?  How do city governments decide what destinations will be served by public transportation?  Is it an appropriate use of your tax dollars? Is it appropriately marketed to the public?

  • Language Arts:  Write your city council representative outlining suggested improvements to public transportation.

  • Application Ext.:  Plan a family bus trip to a destination and teach your family how to use the bus system.

 

 

Knowledge / Skills:

 

 

Perform operations with signed (positive and negative) numbers, including decimals, ratios, percents, and fractions.   M.1

Present information in well-organized fashion that will be clear to the target audience.  ELA.11

Participate, sometimes leading, in group meetings by contributing, taking turns speaking, and working toward a common goal.  ELA.20

 

 

Rubric:

 

 

4 POINTS:  Submit a plan outlining their trip.

  • Depart and arrive at destination prior to the designated time of interview appointment.

  • Produce a clear and concise reflective account of the experience.

3 POINTS:  Submit a plan outlining their trip.

  • Depart and arrive destination 10 minutes after interview appointment.

  • Produce a basic reflective account of the experience.

2 POINTS:   Submit a plan with some corrections necessary.

  • Depart and arrive destination within 20 minutes of designated time. 

  • Can verbalize some account, but little depth or reflection.

POINT:  Does not complete the plan. 

  • Demonstrates little knowledge of public transportation.

 

 

Keywords:

 

 

STATISTICS
PROBLEM SOLVING
COMPUTATION
ROLE PLAY
EXPOSITION
TEAMWORK

 

 

Grades:

 

 

Kg [] - 1 [] - 2 [] - 3 [] - 4 [] - 5 [] - 6 [] - 7 [] - 8 [] - 9 [x] - 10 [x] - 11 [x] - 12 [x]

 

 

ICLE Application:

 

 

D

 

 

 

 

 

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1587 Route 146 - Rexford - NY - 12148
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