7789
/www/nrich/html/content/id/7789/
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2012-01-01T00:00:00
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<mdoxml version="1.0"><p>One day five small animals in my garden decided to have a sports day.<br></br>
<br></br>
<mdo:image alt="5 animals" height="99" src="ASpD.png" width="549"></mdo:image><br></br>
They were a large, sleepy caterpillar, a busy little ladybird, a long-legged spider, a small, jumpy frog and a slow, slimy snail.<br></br>
<br></br>
They decided to have a swimming race, a running race, a high jump and a long jump. Who do you think won each event?<br></br>
Why do you think this?<br></br>
<br></br>
The next day four of the animals wanted another sports day, but the caterpillar had gone to sleep and would not wake up!<br></br>
<br></br>
"When he wakes up, we'll have another sports day!" said the frog. The three others agreed.<br></br>
<br></br>
Some days later the caterpillar did wake up. He crawled out of his sleeping bag. He looked quite different!<br></br>
<br></br>
<mdo:image alt="5 animals" height="99" src="ASpD2.png" width="529"></mdo:image><br></br>
What had happened?<br></br>
<br></br>
Again they decided to have a swimming race, a running race, a high jump and a long jump.<br></br>
<br></br>
Who do you think won each event this time?<br></br>
Has the caterpillar's change made any difference?<br></br>
Why do you think this?<mdo:image src="icon.png"></mdo:image></p>
<p><a href="http://nrich.maths.org/7995">Click here for a poster of this problem</a>.</p></mdoxml>
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<mdoxml version="1.0"><p><span class="editorial">There were lots of good ideas sent in for this challenge. Everyone had good reasons for their choice as to who won each race. Mae from CVHS School, Casper and Margo from ACS Egham all in England; together with Chloe from Jebel Ali School in UAE and Lance from Concord Elementary School in the US all agreed. Their solutions were that the frog won three of the races with
the spider winning the running race. Abhi from Kingsbury school in Kenya definitely agreed that the frog won the first two races. Abubakr who is home schooled in the UK disagreed and offered the following thoughts;</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the first solution the frog won all the won challenges because he could run faster than them all and he could swim the best and the Caterpillar, ladybird, spider and snail couldn't swim. The frog could also jump the highest and longest because his back legs are very large. In the second solution the Caterpillar was in a pupa and he turned into a butterfly. In the third solution the
frog won all of them because he could run faster than them all and he could swim the best and the butterfly, ladybird, spider and snail couldn't swim. The frog could also jump the highest and longest because his back legs are very large. I the fourth solution the Caterpillar`s change was different in numbers of ways like he had less legs and wings.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="editorial">Hudaifa from Cranford Park School in England considered when the caterpillar had become a butterfly saying;</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>On the second race, I think the butterfly won because his wings would've pushed him further and made him faster.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="editorial">Well done all of you and thanks for your detailed explanations.</span></p>
<p> </p></mdoxml>
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<mdoxml version="1.0"><div class="embed">
<h2>The Animals' Sports Day</h2>
<p>One day five small animals in my garden decided to have a sports day.<br></br>
<br></br>
<mdo:image alt="5 animals" height="99" src="ASpD.png" width="549"></mdo:image><br></br>
They were a large, sleepy caterpillar, a busy little ladybird, a long-legged spider, a small, jumpy frog and a slow, slimy snail.<br></br>
<br></br>
They decided to have a swimming race, a running race, a high jump and a long jump. Who do you think won each event?<br></br>
Why do you think this?<br></br>
<br></br>
The next day four of the animals wanted another sports day, but the caterpillar had gone to sleep and would not wake up!<br></br>
<br></br>
"When he wakes up, we'll have another sports day!" said the frog. The three others agreed.<br></br>
<br></br>
Some days later the caterpillar did wake up. He crawled out of his sleeping bag. He looked quite different!<br></br>
<br></br>
<mdo:image alt="5 animals" height="99" src="ASpD2.png" width="529"></mdo:image><br></br>
What had happened?<br></br>
<br></br>
Again they decided to have a swimming race, a running race, a high jump and a long jump.<br></br>
<br></br>
Who do you think won each event this time?<br></br>
Has the caterpillar's change made any difference?<br></br>
Why do you think this?<mdo:image src="icon.png"></mdo:image></p>
<p><a href="http://nrich.maths.org/7995">Click here for a poster of this problem</a>.</p>
</div>
<br></br>
<h3><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why do this problem?</span></h3>
<p><a href="http://nrich.maths.org/7789&part=">This problem</a> links the general interest about sport for this year with a story for young children about animals. Which animal might win each race?</p>
<br></br>
<h3>Possible approach</h3>
<p>This is a problem which would be best approached in pairs or small groups of young children along with an adult. The introductory "story line" could be enhanced in a retelling.</p>
<div> </div>
<div>After setting the scene you could continue using <a href="/content/id/7789/AnimalsSportsDay.pdf">these pictures</a> and discussing which animals they represent and how that animal moves. If the pictures are printed out onto card and cut out they could be used to order the animals in a particular event.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The idea of this problem is not to reach an "answer" or "solution" but to promote discussion and thinking about how animals move and a likely outcome if they did race, jump and swim.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Note:</div>
<div>After the children have had a go at this problem you might like to discuss and correct the non-scientific aspects. Animals do not arrange races. They are too busy feeding, staying safe and producing young. Caterpillars do get sleepy and change into first a chrysalis and then a butterfly and what the story calls a "sleeping bag" is the outer covering of the chrysalis.</div>
<br></br>
<h3>Key questions</h3>
<p>How does this animal/creature move?</p>
<div>Would this animal/creature be good at running/jumping/swimming?</div>
<div>Which do you think would do best in running/jumping/swimming? Why?</div>
<div>Which would be next best? Why?</div>
<div>Shall we put the cards into order for the running/jumping/swimming?</div>
<br></br>
<h3>Possible extension</h3>
<p>Children could think of zoo or farm animals which would do well in these events.</p>
<h3> </h3>
<h3>Possible support</h3>
<p>Suggest using <a href="/content/id/7789/AnimalsSportsDay.pdf">these pictures</a> and discussing how the animals move. Which of the animals can swim/run (move quickly)/jump?<br></br>
</p></mdoxml>
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<mdoxml version="1.0"><br></br>
Think of how each of these creatures moves.<br></br>
<a href="/content/id/7789/AnimalsSportsDay.pdf">These pictures</a> might help you to sort out your ideas.<br></br>
<br></br></mdoxml>
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The animals' sports day
One day five small animals in my garden were going to have a sports day. They decided to have a swimming race, a running race, a high jump and a long jump.
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