In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, the students will use data given in a tally chart and pictograph to help a chip company determine which new flavor of chips it should sell. Students will analyze the data and determine a procedure for ranking the chips. In the “twist,” students will be given the number of calories to compare and take into account for their procedure for ranking.

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Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx