Math Mysteries: The Clown Capers
This item is included in the following series/curriculum: Math Mysteries Series: Crimes, Capers and Whodunits
In addition to the trailer above, be sure to click the "View Video" link at the bottom of this description for an informative look at how this product can be successfully implemented in your class.
The Clown Capers is a unique interactive math mystery that combines video clips and print material—all the clues your students will need--to solve this engaging and challenging mystery.
Aligned with Common Core Standards, this mystery covers the Statistics and Probability domain: Develop understanding of statistical variability.
The Plot:
Someone disguised as a clown has been covering the city in graffiti. Security cameras have caught the culprit on video, but the clown costume makes a positive ID impossible. Is there another method? With info from Police Chief Farnsworth, clues to painting styles provided by a local art dealer, and the names of 3 local artists as prime suspects, plus a clever undercover operation, your students must crunch the numbers to catch the clown.
The Math: Click on each Investigation below for more details and Common Core correlations.
Focuses on standards 6.SP.A.1 and 6.SP.B.5 as students are presented with a statistical question and required to use measures of center and spread to analyze it. Students are presented with a set of data that represents heights of individuals with a particular shoe size. After organizing the data and analyzing it using measures of center and spread, students are challenged to see how suspects’ heights compare to the statistical analysis. Students finish by determining whether any suspects can be eliminated.
Focuses on standards 6.SP.A.3 and 6.SP.B.5 as students are presented with an incomplete set of data and required to use a provided measure of center to complete it. Students are presented with an incomplete set of data that represents the colors used by a vandal creating graffiti. Students are also provided with the mean of the complete set of data and are challenged to find the missing data value. After completing the data set and analyzing it using measures of center and spread, students are challenged to see how the colors used in suspects’ sample murals compare to the statistical analysis of the crime scenes. Students finish by determining whether any suspects can be eliminated.
Focuses on standards 6.SP.B.4 and 6.SP.B.5 as students are presented with a graph representing a data set of time spent by a vandal creating graffiti and required to convert it to a table. After organizing the data set and analyzing it using measures of center and spread, students are challenged to see how the time spent by suspects creating sample murals compare to the statistical analysis of the crime scenes. Students finish by determining whether any suspects can be eliminated.
Focuses on standards 6.NS.B.4 as students break from statistical analysis and instead explore numbers for different type of pattern- greatest common factors. Students are presented with numbers that appear in the crime scenes and numbers appearing in suspects’ sample murals. By identifying common factors in each set, students can finally focus in our culprit the clown!
Involves students creating a final summary of their statistical findings. Students are challenged to not only identify the clown, but also to present the statistical analysis that supports their findings.
Includes:
11-minute DVD, 35-page Teacher’s Resource Book (including Teacher’s Notes, Student Investigation Workbook and Case File)
Click the "View Video" link below to watch how the Math Mysteries programs are being implemented in the classroom.
View VideoAwards
Winner of the Summer 2015 Academics' Choice Smart Media Award
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