pbu

This page is the cut and paste of the original webquest. Link to the PBU webquest here.

**The Perfect Playground**

Designed by Patricia Ells Melissa Groves Michelle Massa John Sacco

Last updated on June 1, 2012. Based on a template from [|The WebQuest Page]

**Introduction**

Come one, Come all!! The Everett Public Schools want you to design your dream playground!! The best designed playground will be built at your school and you will receive an award. All you need to do is have a basic knowledge of math. How can your knowledge of math help you design the best school playground? Complete this Quest to find out. Do you think you're up for the challenge..........We think you are ready! The Task

Task

The city has been awarded a grant to improve each school's playground. As playground experts, Everett High School students have been selected to design them. After going through three stages of planning and building, your group will then make a presentation to the School Committee with a 3-dimensional model of the playground itself. Be sure to explain why your design is the one which should be chosen for your school.

The Process

**The Process** Now that you have accepted the challenge, here are the specifics. Your playground will measure 30' x 30'. You will have $50,000 to spend on this project. You will be placed into teams of four by your teacher. As a team, you will go through the following roles in order: Safety Inspectors, Budget Directors, and Project Engineers, but first, you will have to assess what your community wants through a survey and then graph that information. Your development team's first task is to survey ten students to determine the equipment your playground will have. You will graph this information and use the top three results in your planning.
 * [[image:http://w2.pbubuilder.org/PBUFiles/140/Student/playgrd_20020326133853/IMAGES/graphimage.gif width="64" height="64" align="bottom" link="http://w2.pbubuilder.org/PBUFiles/140/Student/playgrd_20020326133853/MYFILES/surveydirections.htm"]] || [[image:http://w2.pbubuilder.org/PBUFiles/140/Student/playgrd_20020326133853/IMAGES/pb_climbing_01_finsafety.gif width="60" height="60" align="bottom" link="http://w2.pbubuilder.org/PBUFiles/140/Student/playgrd_20020326133853/MYFILES/safety_inspector.htm"]] || [[image:http://w2.pbubuilder.org/PBUFiles/140/Student/playgrd_20020326133853/IMAGES/dollarbillsfallingb%23FE7.gif width="100" height="40" align="bottom" link="http://w2.pbubuilder.org/PBUFiles/140/Student/playgrd_20020326133853/MYFILES/budgetdirector.htm"]] || [[image:http://w2.pbubuilder.org/PBUFiles/140/Student/playgrd_20020326133853/IMAGES/pb_digging_01_fin.gif width="60" height="60" align="bottom" link="http://w2.pbubuilder.org/PBUFiles/140/Student/playgrd_20020326133853/MYFILES/engineer.htm"]] ||
 * [|Survey and Graph] || [|Safety Inspectors] || [|Budget Directors] || [|Engineers] ||

**Survey and Graph** Your development team's first task is to survey ten students to determine the equipment your playground will have. You will graph this information and use the top three results in your planning. [|Click here to print out the survey.] Now you're ready to record your data into a spreadsheet program and create a graph. [|Click here for to see an example.] CONGRATULATIONS! You are now ready to move on. Click on the Safety Inspector link and follow the directions.

*This is a page you will need to revisit often* As the safety inspector, your job is to make sure that no one gets hurt. Click on the link below to take a safety tour. [|Tutorial] Next, visit the following three web sites to discover standard playground safety regulations. [|Safer Playgrounds for Young Children] A site to tell you safety measurements. Scroll down to read, "Checking for Hazards in Playground Equipment"; read numbers 1-8. [|Surface Video] A short video showing various playground surfaces. [|Playground Safety Survey] To ensure safety of the students make sure the playground meets these safety specifications. Be sure to print out one copy of this survey. **Later on your group will need to check the engineer's blueprints with this Playground Safety Survey.** Next, your task is to stress the safety measurements for each of the playground equipment. Click [|here] to practice your measuring. Keep in mind what you have learned so far as you move into the Budget Director's role.
 * Safety Inspector **


 * Budget Director**


 * Engineers**

Your job as engineers is to design a blueprint for the playground. In other words, you have to draw a plan showing what should go where. Print out a [|GRID] to help you with the design. Actually, print two in case you make some mistakes. Remember your budget, what you have learned from being safety inspectors, and that you have a 30'x30' square area in which you need to fit everything. Now, click on [|Playground Specifications] to find out what the playground specifications are.


 * Evaluation**
 * Rubric for oral presentation as a group**

from the notecards || Reads various sentences from the notecards || Does not read presentation from notecard ||  || and hard to understand || Speaks clearly but softly || Speaks loudly and clearly ||  || to the team effort || Member made few contributions; cooperated somewhat with team members || Member made many contributions; cooperated with others || Member made significant contributions; cooperated with others ||  ||
 * || Beginning || Developing || Accomplished || Exempliary || Score ||
 * Presentation || Reads entire notecards || Reads a full paragraph
 * Speech || Can not understand the speake || Speech is mumbled
 * Factual Knowledge || Statements have no factual content || Few statements are factually correct || Most statements are factually correct || All statements are factually correct ||  ||
 * Time Limit || 2 minute speech || 3 minute speech || 4 minute speech || 5 minute speech ||  ||
 * Individual Contribution || Member did not make significant contributions



**Conclusion** You have done a great job! The city is very impressed with your ability to work as a team in building a playground that is beautiful and fun to play on. You stayed well within your budget and we are proud of the work you did. Your knowledge of math helped you complete this webquest. Can you think of other projects where you could use your math skills to build something?

TEACHERS

Click HERE for the Teachers Side.

**Credits & References**Playground Equipment [|http://www.bciburke.com] [|http://byoswingset.com] Fences [|http://www.fences4less.com] Build your own playground [] Peaceful Playgrounds - Provides layout plans and activity guides for designing safe and effective elementary-school playgrounds. Read articles on product benefits. [] Safety Checklist [] Playground safety article including specific measurements for equipment guidelines. [] Safety Survey [] Safety Tips [] Kids site of safety for tutourial [] Animated images found in webquest [|http://www.animationfactory.com] Virtual manipulatives/fractions [|http://matti.esu.edu] Online mathmatic games [|http://www7.funbrain.com] Online dictionary [|http://www.wordcentral.com] Symmetry and pattern website []