Decision Making Lesson Sneakonomics

1. Sneakonomics
Collaborative
Learning
Peer
Tutoring
Cooperative
Learning
Model-Eliciting
Activities
Problem-Based
Learning
Active
Learning
Peer-Assisted
Learning
Deborah Kozdras Christine Angel Danger

2. Designed as “thought-revealing activities” for students (Lesh, et al, 2000)
“The problems that we face in our ever-changing increasingly global
society are multidisciplinary, and many require the integration of multiple
STEM concepts to solve them.” (Roehrig, Moore, Wang, & Park, 2012)

3. “The problems that we face in our ever-changing increasingly global
society are multidisciplinary, and many require the integration of multiple
STEM concepts to solve them.” (Roehrig, Moore, Wang, & Park, 2012)

4. The models created include procedures for doing things and, more importantly, metaphors for
seeing or interpreting things (Mousoulides & English, 2011).

5. The activities are such that student teams of three to four express their mathematical model,
test it using sample data under the possible engineering constraints, and revise their
procedure to meet the needs of their client (Lesh and Doerr, 2003; Mousoulides et al. 2008).

6. Reading - Key Ideas and Details: Read closely
to determine what the text says explicitly and
to make logical inferences from it; . .
Reading - Integration of Knowledge and
Ideas: Integrate and evaluate information
presented in diverse media. . .
Speaking and Listening -
Comprehension and Collaboration:
Prepare for and participate effectively
in a range of conversations and
collaborations . . .
Speaking and Listening - Comprehension and Collaboration:
Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and
formats . . .
Speaking and Listening - Comprehension and
Collaboration: Evaluate a speaker’s point of
view, use of evidence . . .
Speaking and Listening – Presentation of Knowledge and
Ideas: Present information, findings, and supporting
evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning
. . .
Speaking and Listening – Presentation of
Knowledge and Ideas: Make strategic use of
digital media and visual displays of data to
express information and enhance
understanding of presentations.

9. Reading Passage 1
Jeremy Jones
1126 Foot Path
Topeka, Kansas 65764
Dear Students,
My name is Jeremy and I am having a hard time choosing
which shoe to get. My grandma is going to buy me one
pair of shoes for school. This is where your help is
needed. I need you to look at the data table and rank the
shoes from best to worst. I really want to get the best
shoes I can. Please write me back soon to let me know
the ranks of the shoes and how you chose them.
Thank you,
Jeremy

10. Data Set 1

11. Letter Template 1
Dear Jeremy,
Our team, ______________________________________________________, has
determined that you should pick ________________________________________.
The order from best shoe to worst is:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Our plan for ranking
is_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________
Sincerely,

12. Reading Passage 2
Jeremy Jones
1126 Foot Path
Topeka, Kansas 65764
Dear Students,
Thank you for looking at the data table and rank the shoes
from best to worst. I just found some other pairs of running
shoes that I want you to look at. Will the system you came up
with for the first set of data work for this set of data? Please
rank this set of data from best to worst and tell me why you
ranked them that way. I look forward to finding out which
shoes I should get!
Thank you,
Jeremy

13. Data Set 2

14. Letter Template 2
Dear Jeremy,
Based on the new data table our team, _______________________________ has now
determined that you should pick ________________________________.
The order from best shoes to worst is:
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Our plan for ranking is ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________
Our plan has (changed from/stayed the same) because:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Sincerely,

17. Reading Passage 1
Jeremy Jones
Those Shoes, FL
Dear Students,
I need your help! My feet are growing and the shoes Mr. Alfrey gave me are getting
too tight. I need you to help me pick out a new pair of shoes. White shoes are cool,
but I also like the colors blue and red. Also, I just learned how to tie my shoes so shoes
with laces are ok. I have $45 to spend on my new shoes. I like to run and I also need to
be able to wear the new shoes to school. Please help me find a new pair of shoes that
I can be proud of.
When your team finds the pair of shoes for me, write me a letter and tell which shoe
you chose and why you chose them.
Your friend,
Jeremy

18. Data Set 1

19. Letter Template 1
Dear Jeremy,
Our team chose ______________________ as the best shoes for you.
We chose _______________________ because
________________________________________.
Your Friends,
Team _______________

20. Reading Passage 2
Jeremy Jones
Dear Students,
Thank you for picking out the cool new shoes! I have some good news. My grandma
just gave me $30 to add to my $45 so now I have $75 to spend on a new pair of shoes!
Please help me find a new pair of shoes with a price greater than $45 but less than
$75.
I also found another type of shoes for you to choose from. Also, a couple of the prices
on the shoes have changed.
When your team is finished, please write me back and tell me which shoes you chose
and how your team made your decision.
Your Friend,
Jeremy

21. Data Set 2

22. Letter Template 2
Dear Jeremy,
After reviewing the new data, our team chose ______________________ as the best
shoes for you.
We chose _______________________ because
________________________________________.
This (changed/stayed the same) because
Your Friends,
Team _______________

25. Reading Passage 1
Jeremy Jones
1150 Main Street
Tampa Fl 33355
Dear Students,
I need your help! My feet are growing and the shoes Mr. Alfrey gave me are getting tight. I
just got a job walking dogs and will be able to buy myself a cool new pair of shoes. I will be
paid $10 every week starting this week. When I have enough money to buy shoes I will get
them.
I need you to help me pick out my new pair of shoes. White shoes are cool, but I also like
the colors blue and red. Also, I just learned how to tie my shoes so shoes with laces are
ok. I need shoes that I can wear to school and run and play in. I would like to get them as
soon as I can. Please help me find a new pair of shoes that I can be proud of.
When your team finds the pair of shoes for me, write me a letter and tell which shoe you
chose and why you chose them.
Your friend,
Jeremy

26. Data Set 1

27. Letter template 1
Dear Jeremy,
Our Team, ________________________, has
reviewed all of the data provided by you and
created a list in order from "best to worst" of shoes
that are best for you. The order is as follows:
We chose _______________________because:
_______________________________________
The procedure we used to determine the order
was:
This was similar/different from our first choice
because:
Yours truly,

28. Reading Passage 2
Jeremy Jones
1150 Main Street
Tampa Fl 33355
Dear Students,
Thank you for picking out the groovy new shoes! I have some good news. My
grandma just gave me $30 to add to the money I am earning! Now I will be able to
buy my shoes sooner!
I found another type of shoes for you to choose from. Also, a couple of the prices
on the shoes have changed.
When your team is finished, please write me back and tell me which shoes you
chose and how your team made your decision.
Your Friend,
Jeremy

29. Data Set 2

30. Letter Template 2
Dear Jeremy,
Our Team, ________________________, has reviewed all of
the data provided by you and created a list in order from "best
to worst" of shoes that are best for you. The order is as follows:
We chose _______________________because:
_______________________________________
The procedure we used to determine the order was:
Yours truly,

33. MEA Lessons

35. Formative Assessment Prior to Lesson

36. Formative Assessment Prior to Lesson

37. Reading Passage 1
Happy Feet Footwear
Dear Students,
It has been brought to our attention that there is a need for a store that sells affordable, high quality
shoes at low prices. Many families cannot afford the high prices of sports specialty stores and department
stores.
Our company sells three types of shoes (sandals, sneakers, school shoes) to be used for all kinds of
activities. Buying large quantities of only a few types of shoes allows us to sell only the best brands at the
lowest possible prices.
Our new store is opening in Tampa, Florida and has hired you to create an inventory list of different types
of shoes for their grand opening. We want you to look at our customer reviews and the types and
amounts of shoes that have been sold. We want to have 300 shoes in our inventory. You will need to
make a list of shoes and determine how many of each type of shoe should be ordered. Comfort,
durability, appeal, and cost to the consumer are all important to us since we want our customers to come
back and shop again! We also do not want to have a lot of inventory left over because if we do the store
will be losing money!
Our goal is to provide cool, comfortable shoes that kids will like and all parents can afford to buy.
We have put important information on the next page. Please write me back to let me know what
inventory the store should have for their grand opening and how you created the inventory. Please write
the number and the fraction for each type of shoe along with your reasons.
Thank you!
Happy Feet Footwear

38. Data Set 1

39. Letter Template 1
Dear Happy Feet Footwear,
Our team, _______________________________,
has determined that the ______________________
is the best shoe for your store. We chose these as
the best shoe because:
Our procedure for determining the order of our
ranking:
Sincerely,

40. Reading Passage 2
Happy Feet Footwear
Dear Students,
Thank you so much for creating the inventory for our client’s grand opening! Great news!
Happy Feet Footwear has just added a fourth type of shoe to sell in our Tampa store. We
feel that customers in Tampa would like to buy boots for cold weather days and trips to
colder climates! Please recalculate your inventory to include boots in the stores’ grand
opening. To include the boots, we will increase our inventory to 350. Remember that
comfort, durability, appeal, and cost to the consumer are all important to our client and
they do not want to have a lot of inventory left over because the store will be losing
money!
We have put the new information on the next page. Write me back to let me know what
inventory the store should have for our grand opening and how you created the
inventory. Remember to write the number and the fraction for each type of shoe along
with your reasons.
Thank you!
Happy Feet Footwear

41. Data Set 2

42. Letter Template 2
Dear Happy Feet,
Using all of the new information as well as the old, our
team, _______________________________, has
determined that the ______________________ is the
shoe. Below, please find the ranking for the other shoes.
_________________________
Our procedure for determining the order of our ranking is
below.
Some new information that we considered
was___________________________________________
_______________________
Sincerely,

44. Kudos for Kicks

45. Pretest
Name:___________________________ Date:__________
Pretest for Subtraction and Multiplication:
$126.99 - $38.14 =
$135.24 x 23 = 3,105
$154.20 - $81.34 =
$86.34 x 29 =
$202.57 - $55.99 =
$287.14 x 49 =

46. Reading Passage 1
Dear Students,
Our discount shoe company recently opened in your area. We would like to hold a “Grand
Opening Promotion - One Day Blow-Out Sale” to help attract new customers and build sales.
The promotion will feature all of our most popular athletic footwear. We know how excited our
customers will be to get their favorite “Kicks” at a discounted price!
We need your help in determining which Famous Brand Sneaker we should promote for our
One Day Sale. Our goal is to increase the amount of new customers, as well as increase our sales
and profits during the One Day Sale.
We would like your team to calculate the Total Profit Margin per pair as well as, the Total
Sales Potential Profit margin determined by the number of sneakers in stock. We also would
like your team to develop a step-by-step procedure for ranking our Famous Brand Sneakers to
see which one will provide the most profit, as well as bring in the most customers.
Again, we would like you to consider the following criteria when developing your ranking
procedure: comfort and durability, along with the profit margin per pair and the total potential
profit margin determined by the number of sneakers available in stock. Please rank our Famous
Brand Sneakers from 1 to 5 according to the above criteria. Remember, our goal is to increase
our sales and profits while building up our customer base.
Please write a letter back to us listing your step-by-step procedure for ranking our Famous
Brand Sneakers. Also, include how you decided which one we should feature for our One Day
Blow-Out Sale and why. Be detailed in your procedures and reasons. Thank you in advance for
your efforts to help our company!
Sincerely,

47. Data Set 1
Texture:
glossy and
smooth or
dull and
slightly rough
Shiny
Durability-
How thick and heavy is
the card? (This is
measured by the mass
of the card, the more
mass the more durable
the card)
Measured in grams
Color scheme
and brightness
of cards
(1-5, where 5 is
the brightest or
most colorful)
Size
Cost of the Trading
cards- per package
Glossy,
smooth
4g 3 7cm x 9cm $4.00
Dull, paper
like feel
7g 5 9cm x 12cm $4.00
Glossy and
shiny with foil
7g 4 7cm x 9cm $6.50
Glossy back,
paper like
front
9g 4 6cm x 8cm $8.00
Slightly rough 7g 3 7cm x 9cm $3.00

48. Answer Key 1

49. Letter Template 1

50. Reading Passage 2Dear Students,
Thank you for all your hard work in ranking our famous brands. I can tell you put a great deal of thought into it.
Unfortunately, there has been a change in the selection of our Famous Brand Sneakers. One of the brands sold out this
past weekend due to the half-mile marathon on Saturday; therefore, I have removed it from the list. I decided to
include two other Famous Brand Sneakers for you to choose from. I also was able to acquire additional stock from one
of our other stores.
Our “Grand Opening Promotion - One Day Blow-Out Sale” is scheduled for this upcoming Saturday. We know this
does not give you a lot of time to make the new calculations necessary. You will also need to determine if your
procedure for choosing the best brand to feature still works. If not, please develop another step-by-step procedure
based on the new criteria.
Remember to calculate the Total Profit Margin per pair as well as, the Total Sales Potential Profit margin determined
by the Total number of sneakers now in stock and also for the two additional brands. Please develop a second step-by-
step procedure for ranking our Famous Brand Sneakers to see which one will provide the greatest profit, as well as
bring in the most customers. Please rank our Famous Brand Sneakers again from 1-6 according to the new criteria.
Please write a letter back to us listing your new step-by-step procedures for ranking our Famous Brand Sneakers. Also,
include how you decided which one we should feature for our One Day Blow-Out Sale and why. Be detailed in your
procedures and reasons. Once again, thank you in advance for your efforts to help our company!
Sincerely,
Mr. Tom Track
President
Discount Shoes and More

51. Data Set 2
Texture: glossy
and smooth or
dull and slightly
rough
Shiny
Durability-
How thick and heavy is
the card? (This is
measured by the mass
of the card, the more
mass the more durable
the card)
Measured in grams
Color scheme
and brightness
of cards
(1-5, where 5 is
the brightest or
most colorful)
Size Scented Cost of the Trading
cards- per package
Glossy, smooth 4g 3 7cm x 9cm no $4.00
Dull, paper like
feel
7g 5 9cm x 12cm no $4.00
Glossy and shiny
with foil
7g 4 7cm x 9cm yes $6.50
Glossy back,
paper like front
9g 4 6cm x 8cm yes $8.00
Slightly rough 7g 3 7cm x 9cm no $3.00
Glossy, smooth 4g 3 3.5cm x 4.5cm no $3.00
Glossy and shiny
with foil
7g 4 3.5cm x 4.5cm yes $5.50

53. Letter Template 2

54. Extensions
– Entrepreneurship: To satisfy the economic standard dealing
with entrepreneurship, bring students back to the page where
Jeremy visits the thrift store. Ask: Who owns the thrift store?
Someone who owns a business and sells their goods or
services to others is an entrepreneur. Do you know other
entrepreneurs? Do some research and find some Florida
entrepreneurs. What good or service do they provide?
– Entrepreneurship and Properties (Science): Consider shoe
design. Jeremy missed an opportunity to become an
entrepreneur. He could have done something to make the
animal logo shoes cool. He could have decorated them
himself. Maybe he could have even created some to sell!
Design a pair of shoes. Also consider the physical properties of
texture, weight, color, size, shape.
– Provide a percent discount for students to calculate for each
individual pair of sneakers and also for the total potential
sales.

55. Sneaker Freaks: Write a Review of Your
Sneakers

56. Great Sneaker Design Challenge Lesson
http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewResourceLesson/Preview/72432

57. Supplemental Reading
Engineering Sneakers
Bioengineers are involved in the design of sneakers. They combine their knowledge of the human body
with mechanical engineering and materials science to design sneakers that aid athletic performance.
The shoes must provide the right type of support and traction needed for the intended sport while also
taking into consideration their appearance.
Sneakers originated in 1908 and were comprised of rubber soles with canvas uppers. The Keds™ brand
was introduced in 1917. In 1922, the idea to create different models for different needs was introduced.
The health and fitness movement of the 1970s created a high demand for sneakers by the public, and in
1979 the concept of cushioning air bubbles in the sole was introduced. Since then, advancing
capabilities and creation of new materials has resulted in highly specialized (and expensive) sneakers.
The design of today's sneakers is an engineering science that combines physics and biomechanics.
Engineering design utilizes materials that provide durability, comfort, cushioning and stability. Good
designs also consider the type of foot (female, male, child) since each has different characteristics.
Another component in the design is the consideration of which sport the shoe will be used to play.
Each sport has different footwear requirements. Some need high flexibility, others maximum cushioning
or high levels of friction. In addition, the foot structure is considered as well. Women's feet have a
different shape than men's feet and children's feet are shaped differently than adult feet. The inside
layout of a well-designed sneaker takes these physical differences into account.

61. Accompanying Informational Text
• Accompanying Informational Text: To Market to Buy Those Shoes
• After reading the story, use the text to have students understand
how the market economy works today (in terms of shoes)
• Explain how buyers and sellers use trade and money when buying
shoes.
• Think about how people got shoes in the past. Do some research
and discuss how Native Americans got shoes? Did they have stores
a long time ago? If they didn’t, how did they get shoes? Did they
have money? If not, what do you think they used to trade for
shoes?
• http://www.nativetech.org/clothing/moccasin/moctext.html
• What about people living in Colonial America? Read through the
articles. Compare and contrast the shoe store experience in
Jeremy’s shoes with colonial times.
http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/trades/tradesho.cfm
• http://www.history.org/history/teaching/shoemkr.cfm

62. To the Market to Buy Those Shoes
Look at your shoes. Do you wonder who made the decision to make them? Who decides what shoes
will be produced? Who decides how the shoes will be produced? Who decides who will get shoes? In
the U.S.A. we have a free market economy, which means people can freely buy and trade goods and
services.
Prices of the goods or services are not determined by the government. Rather, prices are determined by
people, like you! The price of shoes is determined by the interaction of supply and demand. Supply is a
measure of how many goods or services are available. For example, In Those Shoes the shoe store had a
large supply of the shoes. Demand is a measure of how many people want to buy a particular good
(things you can touch) or service (things people do for you). In the story Those Shoes all of the kids
wanted a pair of the black high-tops with two white stripes. When a lot of kids want something, we say
there is a demand for the good.
Consider “those shoes” that Jeremy really wanted. When more people demand shoes, the price goes
up. Why were “those shoes” expensive? How do you know they were expensive-provide evidence from
the text?
During the story, Jeremy and his grandma went to different types of shops or product markets to buy
shoes. They went to a regular shoe store and they also visited a thrift shop. What is a thrift shop? Here
is a clue. On page 19, the third shop Jeremy and his grandma visited was called Rerun Thrift Shop. The
goods in the shop are being recycled and are ready to be taken on a rerun with someone else.
At Rerun Thrift Shop they found only one pair of those black high-tops. Why do you think there was only
one pair of those black high-tops at the thrift shop? Think about supply and demand again. We know
the shoes are in demand, so not many people will want to sell or give them away to a thrift shop. There
was a low supply because people weren’t trying to get rid of those shoes.
So we know that today in a market economy people like Jeremy and you can freely buy and trade goods
and services. The market supplies goods and services because of the demand of people like Jeremy and
you. The shoes are produced by workers in a factory and shipped to warehouses so they can be
distributed through stores or through Internet shopping.
Now that you know how the market economy works today, consider how people got shoes earlier in
history. What about the early Native Americans in Florida? There were no stores so how did they get
shoes? How about people in Colonial America? Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and do some
research.

63. Letter 1
Dear Engineering Team,
My name is Coach Smith and I have my own track team called “All-Star Track
Runners.” I have been coaching for ten years and my runners want to make a
change. We are trying to see which shoe is the best one for running. We are
looking at how long the shoes lasts, how runners rate the comfort of the
shoe, the mass of the shoes, the texture of the tread on the shoes, how well
air flows through the shoes to cool the feet, and the cost of the shoes.
The texture of the bottom of the shoe is especially important to my runners
on days when the track is wet. Poor traction can cause runners to slip and fall.
Good airflow helps sweat to evaporate, keeping runner’s feet cooler on hot
days.
I hope you can write a letter back to me telling me the process on how you
decided how to rank the shoe from best to worst. Also, we measure running
distance in meters, but the data we received from the shoe manufacturers is
in kilometers. If you can convert meters to kilometers, it will help some of the
runners understand the information better.
In your letter, make sure you describe the process on how you decided how to
rank the shoe from best to worst. I look forward to hearing back from you!
Sincerely,
Coach Smith

64. Data Set 1

65. Letter back to client 1
Dear Coach Smith,
Our Team, _________________________, has determined the ranking for the shoes is
as follows:
1) ____________________________, 2) ____________________________, 3)
____________________________, 4) ____________________________.
Our first choice was _______________________because:
This is the procedure we followed for making our decision:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________
Sincerely,

66. Reading Passage 2
Hello,
Thanks for helping me pick the right shoe for my team. The
information in your letter was helpful. I was able to include two more
shoe brands, which may help in deciding if we are keeping the same
ranking in the shoes or if we have to change it.
My runners often practice running early in the morning before the sun
is out. Reflective sneakers help motorists to better see the runners and
keep runners safer. I was also able to get information on the shoe
colors and whether they are reflective, but I don’t know if you will
need this information.
Will your original process still work with this new data?. Let me know
whether or not you make changes to your system of choosing when
you write back. If you made changes to your system, or chose a
different shoe based on the new data, please make sure to tell me
what changes you had to make. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Coach Smith

67. Data Set 2

68. Letter back to client 2
Dear Coach Smith,
Our Team, _________________________ (did/did not) have to change our
original procedure.
The ranking for the shoes is as follows:
1) ____________________________, 2) ____________________________,
3) ____________________________, 4) ______________________.
We made the decision for the best shoe by
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
________
Sincerely,

69. Summative assessment

70. MEA Lessons