Things are hopping in Mr. Silva’s AP Statistics class—literally! This past week, the stats class conducted an experiment using rubber bands and Barbie dolls. Students broke up into groups and were instructed to predict how many rubber bands it takes for a Barbie doll to have the most fun bungee jumping without hitting her head on the floor. After they made their calculations and predictions using the theory they were taught in class, students put their results to the test by bungee jumping their Barbie dolls from the banister above the office using their predicted amount of rubber bands to suspend them in the air.

Sophomore Lola Romero’s group was successful in their calculations.

Romero remarks, “Seeing everyone else’s Barbie bungee was a cool experience because, since all of our data was different, it was fun to see how other groups’ calculations and estimations worked out for them.”

This activity allows students to put their predictions to the test and gives them an idea of how their data is applied in real-life scenarios. This is the first year Mr. Silva has done this experiment with his statistics class.

“This experiment is rich. Students at all levels can engage in the activity and it requires students to engage in all learning targets from the chapter,” Silva expresses. “It gives students a tangible problem to solve using the theory we have been learning in class.”

Seeing the problem right in front of them helped students better understand what they are figuring out and solving.

“Completing this activity helped me really visualize what we had been learning for the past couple of weeks and gave me a hands-on approach to understand the consequences of miscalculating an answer, and just what can happen if you do the calculations right,” Romero explains.

This activity demonstrates how crucial it is to find the correct answers, and how errors can affect the success of the outcome.

Romero continues, “I enjoyed this activity because I am a visual learner and it was easier for me to understand what we were doing when I had a real model of it in front of me. This also was a well needed fun little break from the quick pace of the class.” 

Taking a pause from the everyday normal lessons and assignments can sometimes be  the passageway into an even better learning experience for students.

“I think other classes should implement activities like this so kids can have a visual representation of what they are learning and have a little fun learning too,” Romero comments.