Independent and Dependent Variables: Pumpkins in the Patch

I felt like my Living Environment students needed some more practice determining what the independent and dependent variables are in an experiment.  I also wanted to emphasize that when we graph the results of our experiments, the independent variable values go on the x-axis and the depended variable values go on the y-axis.

We were just going to work with a practice set we used earlier in the year, but would place the independent variable horizontally (x-axis) and the dependent variable vertically (y-axis).  I found this set of variables in the blog post on in stillness the dancing titled Functions from the Start.

The envelopes of the variables were in my binder ready to go.  Then I read Sarah Carter's latest blog post on Math = Love, and knew I needed to change what we were doing.  I shamelessly copied her activity, making a few modifications.   She called this activity "Ghosts in the Graveyard." I decided to call it Pumpkins in the Patch so I could use it any time in the fall.

After downloading her PDF files, I converted them into Google docs,  This allowed me to change the font and title. Otherwise the challenges are word for word.  We'll use pumpkins instead of ghosts, of course.  My other change was the answer sheet that the students fill out as they go.   Instead of just a table to fill out, I put some of what I learned in the teacher workshop I went to last Friday on using Google apps in the classroom to work.  To emphasize dependent on the y-axis and independent on the x-axis, the answer sheet is full of vertical and horizontal arrows that I put together in google drawings.

The left-over Halloween candy will come in handy for prizes when we do this in class later in the week. Each time a team of students finishes one challenge, they put a pumpkin with their name on it in one of the patches (big circles drawn on the white board).  Each pumpkin patch will have a different point value that all of the pumpkins in it will receive. At the end of the game, the point value for each patch will be revealed.  The team with the most points will get a few fun sized candy bars.

Here's the challenge document with the pumpkins.  Here's the answer sheet.