Investigating the Jump of an Origami Frog: A Statistical Inquiry

In Grade 3/4, we are diving into an exciting investigation with a simple yet fascinating question: How far can an origami frog jump? After making our own origami frogs, we are not only measuring their jumps but also learning valuable skills in asking better questions and conducting meaningful investigations. Our overarching learning questions are:

• What is a statistical investigation, and how can understanding it help us ask better questions when creating our own investigations?
• As thinkers, how can we ask better questions to help us create and understand statistical investigations?

Understanding the Importance of Controlling Variables

To start, we’re focusing on controlling variables to ensure we get reliable results. We are learning that when measuring the distance of a frog's jump, consistency is key. By controlling variables, such as how we flick the frog and how we measure its jumps, we can make sure our results are accurate and trustworthy. We are being careful and thoughtful as we design protocols for our experiment to make sure the data we collect is reliable and meaningful.

Our Jumping and Measuring Protocols

We are learning how to establish clear protocols for jumping and measuring. These protocols are essential to ensure that every jump is consistent and every measurement is accurate. Here’s what we’re focusing on:

• Jumping Protocols: How do we ensure that each frog jump is consistent? This includes how we fold the frogs, how much force we apply when flicking them, and how we position them each time.
• Measuring Protocols: How do we measure the frog’s jump consistently? We’ll be using units of measurement like centimeters (cm), meters (m), and millimeters (mm) to calculate the distance of each jump.

Thinking Like a Mathematician

As critical thinkers, we are learning to ask big questions and dive deeper into the data. Sometimes our first thoughts can change the more we investigate, and that’s part of the mathematical process. We are being encouraged to look closely at the data and ask ourselves: Does this information make sense? Do we need more details to understand it better? By doing this, we are practicing valuable skills for thinking critically and solving problems mathematically.

Using Mathematical Language

Throughout this investigation, we will also be using mathematical language to describe our findings:

• Distance: How far the frog jumps.
• Measurement: The total distance the frog travels.
• Estimate: A guess about the frog's jump distance before testing it.
• Average: The sum of multiple jumps divided by the number of jumps to find the average distance.
• Units: We’ll measure our jumps in centimeters (cm), meters (m), or millimeters (mm) to make sure our results are consistent and accurate.

An Inquiry-Based Approach

This investigation is all about asking questions, testing hypotheses, and learning from our results. We are exploring not just the distance of the frog’s jump, but also how to conduct a scientific investigation. Our inquiry approach is helping us learn that the more we investigate, the more our understanding deepens. It’s a reminder that as thinkers, we can always improve our questions and methods as we learn more.

Connecting to the Australian Curriculum

This inquiry aligns with the Australian Curriculum's focus on developing students' skills in measurement, statistics, and critical thinking. Specifically, it supports the following content descriptors from the Australian Curriculum for Mathematics (Grades 3 and 4):

• Year 3 Content Descriptors:
• Measurement and Geometry (ACMMG061): "Measure, compare, and order the durations of events in everyday contexts."
• Statistics and Probability (ACMSP068): "Ask questions about familiar contexts that can be investigated statistically. Collect data, organise it, and display it in various forms."
• Statistics and Probability (ACMSP069): "Describe and interpret different data displays."
• Year 4 Content Descriptors:
• Measurement and Geometry (ACMMG083): "Compare the areas of regular and irregular shapes by informal means."
• Statistics and Probability (ACMSP092): "Interpret and compare data displays, including dot plots and column graphs."
• Statistics and Probability (ACMSP093): "Pose questions and collect categorical or numerical data by observation or survey."

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue jumping into this fun and educational investigation, where curiosity and critical thinking are key!