The big idea of the Ferris Wheel Multiple Representations task is to ask students to look at the same problem in different ways and to make connections between all aspects of the problem that they have been studying. The idea is for students to find out all 4 key pieces of information about each Ferris wheel using each of the representations given. I tell students that this task will give them a chance to think about the big picture and to make as many connections as possible—if they understand this task, they will have a good understanding of the whole learning target.
As they work, I ask my students to make a graphic organizer of some kind that shows how to find the key information in each representation. There are rich opportunities here for precise mathematical communication (MP6) by asking them to make clear how they are finding their answers. It may help to provide them with some key vocabulary:
As they attempt to explain their answers and their process, I circulate to help them figure out how to use these words to explain the connections they are making. Depending upon how the activity transpires, I may ask a few students to share their organizers/webs or to explain their connections to other groups of students or to the whole class.