Objective Students will be able to measure to the nearest centimeter. Students will predict and determine the frequency of an event. Overview of the Lesson Students participate in a simulation of a parachute jump competition by making paper Whirlybirds, and then dropping them towards a target on the floor. They measure the distance from the point where the Whirlybird lands to the target. Distances are categorized into 10 centimeter intervals and tallied.
Students analyze the data to determine the frequency of a parachutist hitting a target area.
Activity Sheets are located at the bottom of the .pdf Lesson Plan. Procedure Motivate students by telling them that they are going to take part in a parachute jump competition. Have students recall experiences where they have seen a parachutist try to land on a target area. Explain to the class that since they cannot perform the actual jumps, they will have to simulate the event. Tell the class that they are going to drop the Whirlybird and try to hit the target.