Source: Cyberchase: “A Broom of One’s Own”
Funding for the VITAL/Ready to Teach collection was secured through the United States Department of Education under the Ready to Teach Program.
Calculating Speed
(Video)
National K -12 Subject:
Lesson Plans Using this Resource:
In this video segment from Cyberchase, the CyberSquad has three of Wicked’s brooms. They try to determine which one is the fastest by having a race. Racing against each other doesn’t give them the exact results they need, so they decide to race one at a time against the clock to see which broom travels the farthest.
Download and ShareHere are some Frame, Focus and Follow-up suggestions for using this video in a math lesson.
What is Frame, Focus and Follow-up?
Frame: If you wanted to determine how fast you were riding your bike how would you go about doing it? What kind of measurement tools would you need? What units might you use to label your findings?
Focus: As you watch this segment, notice how the CyberSquad successfully determines which broom is the fastest. How are time and distance measured during their experiment? Which broom was the fastest? How do you know?
Follow Up: Inez suggests that the CyberSquad determine which broom is the fastest by finding out which one goes the farthest in five seconds. Does this make sense? Why or why not? What does it mean “to race against the clock”?
JACKIE: Since our names are already on these...we better make sure they're faster than fast - like she said.
DIGIT: How do we do that?
MATT: Let's start by finding out which one is the fastest! You gotta try this! It's awesome!
INEZ: How do you steer this thing? Whoa!
DIGIT: Does it look like I know?
INEZ/DIGIT: Oof!
MATT: I went faster than you, Jax...I think.
INEZ: And I think I went faster than you, Matt...
DIGIT: But which one is the fastest?
JACKIE: Don't know yet, Didge. We need a way to figure it out.
MATT: I know! Let's have a race. First broom to that tree...is the fastest!
INEZ/JACKIE: Let's do it!/Cool!
DIGIT: On your mark, get set...Go!
MATT/JACKIE/INEZ: Oof!
JACKIE: Okay guys, we need a new plan. Maybe we can go one at a time. MATT: No way! It’s not a race if we go one at a time.
INEZ: Hmm...It could be.
JACKIE: You mean, like racing against the clock?
INEZ: Uh-huh. Like seeing who goes farther in the same amount of time.
MATT: Okay, but we need some way to mark the time.
DIGIT: Like this stopwatch, perhaps?
INEZ: Perfect! Time us one at a time....and fly for, um...five seconds! The broom that goes farthest in five seconds is the fastest!
JACKIE: To the max, guys!
DIGIT: Go! Five seconds!
MATT: Okay, let's see how far I fly in five seconds.
DIGIT: Go! Five seconds. Stop! GO!
MATT: Whoa! What was that?
INEZ: Meeeeee...!
DIGIT: Five seconds. Stop!! Okay, let’s see what we got here...
JACKIE: I'm at the tree!
MATT: I'm at the bush!
INEZ: I'm at the turtle!
DIGIT: No doubt about it! Nezzie went the farthest in five seconds...Which proves her broom's the fastest!
INEZ: Yes! The polka dot broom is the fastest one!
MATT: Hmph. I want a rematch!
Loading Standards
Connections
Print Connections
