4.1. April 16, 2002: Giving Directions

"A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems."--Paul Erdös

Caveat Lector: This is a web-friendly version of the activity sheet GIVING DIRECTIONS. You can also download the file (RTF) for your own use. (RTF is Rich Text Format, which can be opened in Microsoft Word, AppleWorks, ClarisWorks, Okito Composer, TextEdit, Mariner Write, and likely other word processors of varying vintages on varying platforms.)

GIVING DIRECTIONS

Here are the group roles. You will use the die that Ms. Lee has handed out to your group to decide who gets which role. If you don't like your role, negotiate with your group about it.

Everyone should produce a written report, as we no longer have scribes, and everyone should be involved in the activity! It is the group's job to make sure this happens.

Remember, no islands!

highest number
question person
authorized to ask Ms. Lee or Mrs. Sooy the group's questions

next highest
reader
reads directions and makes sure everyone understands them

3rd highest
materials person
organizes necessary materials and makes sure everyone has something to work on

lowest number
monitor
keeps the group on-track ("Are we really supposed to be talking about prom...?")

WARNING: In order for this activity to be fair, we should not tell anyone outside the group or the teachers which place-markers we're working with.

1. Today our group will give directions from [insert point here] to [insert point here] to another group without referring to the place-markers. We should memorize our two points now because Ms. Lee will be taking down the place-markers 5 minutes after the beginning of this activity.

2. Our final product will include everything that we plan to give the other group so they can figure out our directions. We will not be allowed to answer any of their questions, so we want our directions to be as clear as possible. We can use words, diagrams, or anything that we can put down on paper.

3. Each person will write a set of directions for getting from [insert point here] to [insert point here].

4. Exchange your directions with one other person in the group when you're done. Comment on the other person's directions.

5. Discuss the directions that everyone came up with. Everyone should take notes on this discussion. Decide what directions we'll give to the other group. The materials person will consult the group on how to divide up the work.

6. When our directions are ready, the question person should get Ms. Lee's attention. She will pair us with another group.

7. As a group, we will follow the other group's directions. We may not ask the other group any questions, but they will watch to see if their directions worked. When everyone agrees on the two points, we will write down the group consensus.

8. When the other group is also done, we will meet with the other group (remember: no islands!) and discuss the following questions together. Everyone should write down answers:

• What made this easy or hard?
  
• How were our directions similar or different?
  
• What was different from giving directions to a place in real life?
  
• Would it help to have a map of the classroom? Say why.
  
• What does this have to do with math?
  

Both groups will prepare a joint presentation to the entire class on what they learned.

Copyright © 2002 Yoon Ha Lee <requiescat@cityofveils.com>
Last updated on 18 May 2002