The Spinner 3-Act Task in 4th Grade

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Lori Rabehl
4th Grade Teacher
Rice Lake Elementary
Osseo Area School District

How long will a fidget spinner spin? I used this current craze to engage my 4th graders in a math review. Students started by making an estimate of how long the spin would last. They did a spin and then figured out the difference between the actual spin time and their estimate. They then recorded the time of 5 different spins and used the data to find the median, mode, mean, and range.

Students were then challenged to create other math activities that would use a fidget spinner. They started by reviewing math concepts learned throughout the year, looking for ways their fidget spinners could be used to practice the skill. They created folder games that I can use with future students. Their games included probability, fractions, multiplication, and graphing practice. Throughout the activities, students were engaged and begging to do it again.

This activity was inspired by Graham Fletcher’s “The Spinner” 3-Act Task.