SDMS Grade 6 Lesson Six
The following is a sample of an integrated lesson plan with Lego® constructives and the existing SDMS 6th Grade
Math Curriculum.
CIRCLES AND CIRCUMFERENCE:
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to identify and calculate circle circumference.
KEY VOCABULARY: Circle, Radius, Diameter, Circumference, Wheel
MATERIALS: Paper, pencil, marker, ruler, AOE Lab
DISCUSSION:
Lead a class discussion about wheels. Wheels are solid discs or circular frames connected to a central hub
used to move things around...more than likely they have the geometic shape of a circle. ( In fact there is
a link between the Greek "kyklos" meaning circle and the English word "wheel" ). Geometrically speaking, a
circle is the set of all points in a plane at a given distance from a fixed point of the plane.
Ask which are "cooler" to use...big wheels or small wheels? Which wheels go further on one revolution,
big wheels or small wheels?
Mark a start position on a wheel and match it with a mark on a table or paper. Roll it and continue
until the wheel line returns to the down position on the table. Make a new mark and measure the distance.
This is the circumference ( the distance around the circle ). One line ( or "chord" ) from
the center to the perimeter of the circle is its radius, and if this line is
extended from side to side through the center that is the diameter ( twice the radius ).
It is held that 2 times pi times radius = the circumference of a circle.
Check this with the LEGO® wheel in use.
ACTIVITY 1: Hand out random wheels to class and have them identify the circumference of LEGO® wheels.
ACTIVITY 2: Require students to identify the circumference without turning the wheel.
ACTIVITY 3: Require students to identify the circumference of the teacher's front right car wheel.
ACTIVITY 4: Build a variety of LEGO® obstacles of differing heights. Ask students to identify which
wheels would be best to scramble over which obstacle. Have them explain why.
SDMS 6 Math Curriculum
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