	Objective/s (Chance and Data)	Teaching Strategies, Activities and Personal Management Notes	Resources
	· to introduce the notion of ‘variables’	Activity 3 Explain to students that the huge difference in racing ability between the hare and the tortoise was a ‘variable’ in the race. To further understand this concept, students will visit the following Learning Object: Give Me a Brake – run 5 different races, each time attempting to stop closer to the target. http://learningplace.eq.edu.au/cx/resources/item/tlflo/3f5c63a2-568b-b20c-887d-bba826475db1/1/ViewIMS.jsp This Learning Object is titled ‘Give Me a Brake’. BIG QUESTION: What if we could remove the ‘variable’ of differing abilities between the hare and the tortoise so the race is fair and the competitors both have an ‘even chance’ of winning? TEACHER NOTE: Explain to students that, in real life, when differences in ability arise in horse racing, jockeys wear lead weights to make the race ‘fairer’. Similarly, golfers are given ‘handicaps’. You can have students read about Australia’s most famous handicap footrace: The Stawell Gift, which lends further weight to the injustice of a race between a hare and a tortoise. To make this race between the hare and the tortoise fair, the competitors can only race when they win in the activities which follow. All activities are set up optimally to achieve equal outcomes (but luck still plays a part).

Objective/s

(Chance and Data)

Teaching Strategies, Activities and Personal Management Notes

Resources

· to introduce the notion of ‘variables’

Activity 3

Explain to students that the huge difference in racing ability between the hare and the tortoise was a ‘variable’ in the race.
To further understand this concept, students will visit the following Learning Object:

Give Me a Brake – run 5 different races, each time attempting to stop closer to the target.

http://learningplace.eq.edu.au/cx/resources/item/tlflo/3f5c63a2-568b-b20c-887d-bba826475db1/1/ViewIMS.jsp This Learning Object is titled ‘Give Me a Brake’.

BIG QUESTION: What if we could remove the ‘variable’ of differing abilities between the hare and the tortoise so the race is fair and the competitors both have an ‘even chance’ of winning?

TEACHER NOTE: Explain to students that, in real life, when differences in ability arise in horse racing, jockeys wear lead weights to make the race ‘fairer’. Similarly, golfers are given ‘handicaps’. You can have students read about Australia’s most famous handicap footrace: The Stawell Gift, which lends further weight to the injustice of a race between a hare and a tortoise.

To make this race between the hare and the tortoise fair, the competitors can only race when they win in the activities which follow. All activities are set up optimally to achieve equal outcomes (but luck still plays a part).

	Instructions for Students	Link to Use
	Activity 3 Visit the following Learning Object: Give Me a Brake – run 5 different races, each time attempting to stop closer to the target. http://learningplace.eq.edu.au/cx/resources/item/tlflo/3f5c63a2-568b-b20c-887d-bba826475db1/1/ViewIMS.jsp This Learning Object is titled ‘Give Me a Brake’. What were all the things that affected how you stopped? WE CALL THESE THINGS ‘VARIABLES’. BIG QUESTION: What if we could remove the ‘variable’ of differing abilities between the hare and the tortoise so the race is fair and the competitors both have an ‘even chance’ of winning? Did you know that jockeys have lead put in their clothes to slow down a fast horse they may be riding in a race and give the slower horses a fair chance of winning? Did you know that golfers have a ‘handicap’ when they become good golfers? This means they give less skilled golfers a start! Did you know that Australia’s most famous footace, The Stawell Gift, has the best runners starting from behind slower racers in the heats? To make this race between the hare and the tortoise fair, you will only be allowed to move if you win in the activities that follow. This race will have nothing to do with ‘ability’. All of the activities that follow have an equal chance of either the hare or the tortoise winning, but luck will still play a part in the result.

Instructions for Students

Link to Use

Activity 3

Visit the following Learning Object:

Give Me a Brake – run 5 different races, each time attempting to stop closer to the target.

http://learningplace.eq.edu.au/cx/resources/item/tlflo/3f5c63a2-568b-b20c-887d-bba826475db1/1/ViewIMS.jsp This Learning Object is titled ‘Give Me a Brake’.

What were all the things that affected how you stopped?

WE CALL THESE THINGS ‘VARIABLES’.

BIG QUESTION: What if we could remove the ‘variable’ of differing abilities between the hare and the tortoise so the race is fair and the competitors both have an ‘even chance’ of winning?

Did you know that jockeys have lead put in their clothes to slow down a fast horse they may be riding in a race and give the slower horses a fair chance of winning?

Did you know that golfers have a ‘handicap’ when they become good golfers? This means they give less skilled golfers a start!

Did you know that Australia’s most famous footace, The Stawell Gift, has the best runners starting from behind slower racers in the heats?

To make this race between the hare and the tortoise fair, you will only be allowed to move if you win in the activities that follow. This race will have nothing to do with ‘ability’. All of the activities that follow have an equal chance of either the hare or the tortoise winning, but luck will still play a part in the result.

BACK TO INDEX