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17.2

Activity

25 mins

The Robot Race

Standards Alignment

Building On

Addressing

Instructional Routines

None

Materials

To Gather

Colored pencils

Activity Narrative

In this activity, students calculate and compare the unit rates in meters per minute for three robotics teams and consider the graphs and equations that describe the distance–time relationship. As students interpret the data values, graphs, and equations in context, they reason abstractly and quantitatively (MP2).

Launch

Arrange students in groups of 2. Give students access to colored pencils and 5–8 minutes of quiet work time, followed by a whole-class discussion. Invite students to share what they know about robotics, including any experience they may have with building and programming robots.

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. Chunk this task into more manageable parts. For example, after students have completed the table about the competition, check-in with either select groups of students or the whole class. Invite students to share the strategies they have used so far as well as any questions they have before continuing.
Supports accessibility for: Organization, Attention

Activity

None

Student Task Statement

Diego, Elena, and Andre joined different teams for a robotics competition. Each team programmed a robot to travel at a constant rate.

Complete each table to show how far each team’s robot traveled during the competition.

Diego's Team

time (minutes) distance traveled (meters)

1

1

2 6

4

5

Elena's Team

time (minutes) distance traveled (meters)

1

1

2

4 11

5

Andre's Team

time (minutes) distance traveled (meters)

1

1

2

4

5 17.5
Graph points to show the progress of each robot. Use a different color or symbol for each robot.

A blank coordinate grid with the origin labeled "O". The horizontal axis is labeled "time, in minutes" and the numbers 0 through 5, in increments of zero point 5, are indicated. The vertical axis is labeled "distance traveled, in miles" and the numbers 0 through 20 are indicated.
Let’s say that represents the distance a robot traveled in meters and represents the time in minutes.
1. Explain why relates the distance and time that Diego’s robot traveled.
2. In this equation, which variable is independent and which one is dependent? Record your answer in the table. Be prepared to explain how you know.

time (minutes)	distance traveled (meters)
	1
1
2	6
4
5

time (minutes)	distance traveled (meters)
	1
1
2
4	11
5

time (minutes)	distance traveled (meters)
	1
1
2
4
5	17.5

Complete the table with equations that can relate distance and time for the other two robots. Make sure that in each equation, the independent and dependent variables are as shown. Be prepared to explain your reasoning.

	independent variable	dependent variable
Diego's team
Elena's team	time	distance
Andre's team	distance	time

Student Response

to access Student Response.

Building on Student Thinking

Are You Ready for More?

Activity Synthesis

The goal of the discussion is to ensure that students understand how the table, graph, and equations represent the situation and make connections across the representations.

Invite students to share their responses to the last two sets of questions and explain their reasoning. In particular, ask them how they identified the independent and dependent variables for the equation for Diego’s robot, and how they figured out how to write equations when the independent and dependent variables are specified.

Point out the standard convention of showing the independent variable on the horizontal axis of a graph.

If time permits, consider asking questions such as:

“How can you tell from the table whose robot traveled the fastest or the slowest?”
“How can you tell from the graph whose robot traveled the fastest or the slowest?”
“How can you tell from the equations whose robot traveled the fastest or the slowest?”
“If distance was the independent variable, how would the equations and graphs be different?”

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Audience

Assessment Access

Lesson 17

Two Related Quantities, Part 2

Warm-up

Which One Travels Faster?

Instructional Routines

Materials

Activity Narrative

Launch

Activity

Student Task Statement

Student Response

Building on Student Thinking

Are You Ready for More?

Activity Synthesis

Activity

The Robot Race

Standards Alignment

Building On

Addressing

6.EE.C.9

Instructional Routines

Materials

To Gather

Activity Narrative

Launch

Activity

Student Task Statement

Student Response

Building on Student Thinking

Are You Ready for More?

Activity Synthesis

Lesson Synthesis

Student Lesson Summary

Have feedback on the curriculum?

Standards Alignment

Building On

Addressing

6.EE.C.9

6.RP.A.3.a

6.RP.A.3.b

Building Toward

6.RP.A.3.a

Building Toward