In this activity you'll be exploring the relationship between graphs
and stories.
This activity will give you practice creating a
graph from a story and telling the details of motions from a graph.
Finally,
you will create your own story about a train traveling between
several stations from a graph.
Go on to the next step.
Graphs Make Motion
New page content
The Pony Express
Laramie Wyoming is 50 miles west of Cheyenne. Along the way between
them there are two towns. Twenty miles west of Cheyenne is Granite and Buford is 10 miles beyond Granite. On
the route, there are mile markers every 10 miles as shown below. The
pony express needs to make a delivery from Cheyenne to Laramie.
Below is the story of how it traveled. Draw a graph that tells the
story of the Pony Express's trip.
• The Pony Express travels from Cheyenne to Granite in 2 hours.
• In Granite, the pony and rider take a 1 hour rest.
• Then they leave Granite and reach Buford in 1 hour, but there, the pony throws a shoe.
• To fix the shoe, they have to go back to Granite. The pony has to limp back, so it takes 2 hours.
• In Granite they get a fresh pony, and leave for Laramie.
• There are no more stops, and the pony and rider arrive in 2 hours.
Place labels on the graph to show the approximate locations of the
four towns, then Submit your graph.
Reflecting on the Pony Express Trip
Skip this step until you have discussed the Pony Express graph trips
on the previous step.
Return to this step after discussion with your
teacher and / or classmates. After discussion, if you would like
to revise your graph for the Pony Express trip, you may do it below
and submit it.
• The Pony Express travels from Cheyenne to Granite in 2 hours.
• In Granite, the pony and rider take a 1 hour rest.
• Then they leave Granite and reach Buford in 1 hour, but there, the pony throws a shoe.
• To fix the shoe, they have to go back to Granite. The pony has to limp back, so it takes 2 hours.
• In Granite they get a fresh pony, and leave for Laramie.
• There are no more stops, and the pony and rider arrive in 2 hours.
A Race!
The graph below tells a story about a race between Isabel and
Shanice. Use this graph to help you answer the questions. Click
submit after answering each.
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and answer all
four sequences of questions.
Who won the race, Isabel or Shanice?IsabelShanicetieHow do you know?How long is the race in miles?0.6 miles2.0 miles20 miles22 milesHow long did the winner take to run it?2 min6 min15 min20 min22 minDid one of the runners pass the other?Isabel passed ShaniceShanice passed Isabelneither passed the otherIf one runner passed the other, at what time did that occur?3 min6 min15 min20 min22 minDidn't occurWho was moving faster 16 minutes into the race?IsabelShanicethey were moving at the same speedHow can you tell who was running faster or the same same speed at 16 minutes into the race?
What was Isabel's fastest speed? (in miles/minute)What was Isabel's slowest speed?What was Shanice's fastest speed? (in miles/minute)What was Shanice's slowest speed?
This graph matches the story from a well-known race. What is the story and how do you know?
Creating a story
The position of a train traveling between three
stations as it changes in time is shown on the graph below. Distances are in miles, and time is
in minutes. Station A is at position 0, Station B is at position 10,
Station C is at position 25. Create a story about a train trip that
matches the graph. Feel free to invent characters and actions. What
might have happened, for example, after 35 minutes?
After you
submit your story you'll be able to see some of the class' stories
on the next page if your teacher chooses several and releases them
for viewing.
Thinking about Your Train Stories
Skip this step until you have discussed you train story with your teacher or class. Return to this step after discussion.
What was different between your train story and your peers' stories?What would you change in your story after discussing your peers' stories? Explain why.If you would keep your story the same, explain why.
The End
When you are done, you may close this activity. Your answers are
saved automatically.
Graph Source data page
This page is to provide source data for the train story. It is
not for student use.