by Beth Sanborn
besanborn@learninginhand.org

Grade Level: 4-6

Content Areas: Math, Science, Reading

• Students will learn the formulas for using chirps of crickets to calculate temperature.
• Students will compare and contrast what they learned about crickets
• Students will learn facts and information about crickets
• Students will come up with their own formulas and calculations.
• Students will use formulas to find temperature.

Procedures

1. Read Cricket in Times Square and the Quiet Cricket.
2. Beam Pico Map to the students.
3. Beam Cricket Ebook for them to read.
4. After reading from the ebook have students make a Pico map using the information from the Cricket ebook.
5. Have students share and discuss the different maps.
6. Highlight and discuss that chirps were discussed a lot and that since ancient times many used the crickets for many uses, even temperature gages.
7. On MemoPad document, list everything they know and can think of about temperature. (how do we measure it, use it, when it changes, etc.)
8. Share and discuss temperature memos.
9. Beam Crickometer to all students.
10. Have students open it and tap on cricket for one minute.
11. Have students try to come up with the formula and reasons how the temperature and chirps (taps) relate.
12. Do the same trial with only 15 seconds.
13. After discussing and listening to different ideas have students tap on the i and read about the formula to which was used to reach that temperature.
14. Tell and write on the board both formulas.
15. Have students use the formula to find temperature. (come up with numbers)
16. After practicing have students either listen and tap using crickets purchased at bait shop or if lucky enough, take students outside to tap when the crickets chirp.
17. After several days and measurements the students graph their formulated answers.
18. Discuss the temperatures and results.
19. Encourage students to continue to "tap and graph".