Synopsis:  Students test the hypothesis that carrying a heavy backpack causes back pain.  Using a 2x2 table, students perform an in-class observational study by collecting and analyzing data from the "natural experiment" that they perform on themselves by carrying their backpacks.  This first-hand experience in conducting an observational study helps students understand procedures involved in creating definitions of an exposure and an outcome, displaying data in a 2x2 table, calculating risks, comparing risks (calculating relative risk), and making inferences.

All students will develop problem-solving, decision-making, and inquiry skills, reflected by formulating usable questions and hypotheses, planning experiments, conducting systematic observations, interpreting and analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and communicating results.

All students will integrate mathematics as a tool for problem-solving in science, and as a means of expressing and / or modeling scientific theories.

All students will learn and apply health promotion concepts and skills to support a healthy, active lifestyle.

All students will use health-enhancing personal, interpersonal, and life skills to support a healthy, active lifestyle.

All students will develop number sense and will perform standard numerical operations and estimations on all types of numbers in a variety of ways.

All students will represent and analyze relationships among variable quantities and solve problems involving patterns, functions, and algebraic concepts and processes.

All students will develop an understanding of the concepts and techniques of data analysis, probability, and discrete mathematics, and will use them to model situations, solve problems, and analyze and draw appropriate inferences from data.

All students will use mathematical processes of problem solving, communication, connections, reasoning, representations, and technology to solve problems and communicate mathematical ideas.

All students will write in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.

All students will speak in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.

All students will listen actively to information from a variety of sources in a variety of situations.

All students will demonstrate critical life skills in order to be functional members of society.