Lesson Plans

Lesson 4 - Determining Human Reaction Time

Subject: Math - Grade Level: 3-5

Objective

Student will accurately use a digital or analog watch/clock to time and record human reaction time. 

Materials

• Handout on Human Reaction Time (Parts 1 and 2)
• Battleship North Carolina information packet.
  

Activities/Procedures

Student will read General Quarters: Man your Battle Stations oral history transcript from Battleship North Carolina information packet. After reading transcript, students working in terms of 2 students each will conduct human reaction time activities (part 1 and part 2). Students follow instructions of activity handout page and record reaction times on the Reaction Time Card. 

Assessment

Times recorded on Reaction Time Card.

Optional Activity: Students can take the reaction times of the whole class and construct a bar graph to display the data. 

Human Reaction Time
Part 1

During a voyage in wartime, the crew of a battleship are required to be able to respond quickly to any given situation such as General Quarters when the ship is under attack. Unexpected problems may arise during a voyage at sea that require a rapid response to the problem. The faster the reaction time of officers and crew, the better chance they will have in dealing with a given situation. 

Students can measure their reaction time by using the reaction time card (following page) in this manner:

1. Divide the class into teams with two students on each. While one does the activity, the other student times his/her responses.

2. Have one student start with a finger on square one and touch each square in numerical order. The other student should record the time. Then have the same student touch the squares in reverse order. Record the time again. 

3. Students should then reverse roles.

4. Allow the students to do the activity for 2 or 3 days in a row to see if their reaction time improves. 

5. Compare results of boys versus girls, age groups, left-handed versus right-handed students, etc., by recording group averages on the blackboard.

6. Allow students to put their own symbols in the blank squares. They might try to devise an ordering system which is faster than numbers. 

10 seconds....slow

9 seconds....average

7 seconds....very good

5 seconds....excellent

Human Reaction Time
Part 2

Another method of measuring a person's reaction time is with the scale included here. Duplicate the scale and paste it over a meter stick. The heavy black line should be taped at bottom, then paste the other strip at the top of the first one. The markings are in 1/100ths of a second. 

1. Divide class into teams, 3 or 4 on each team.

2. Taking turns, have one student rest his/her right or left forearm on table or desktop with hand extended over the edge. Have another team member drop the meter stick so that it passes vertically between subject's index finger and thumb, so that he/she may catch it after it starts to fall. 

3. The student should start with thumb and index finger apart the width of the meter stick. This way all persons use a set standard.

4. Start by placing meter stick at zero between student's thumb and index finger. Release the stick and have student catch it. 

5. Record the number where student's fingers grasp the stick. Note: if stick is missed the score is 29, not zero. 

6. Have each student perform the test 3 times and have an average. 

7. Try another way. Tape a child's small cricket clicker to top of meter stick. Blindfold student and have him/her catch the stick with eyes closed, responding to the "click" of the clicker. 

8. Repeat 3 times, find the average. 

Have students record their averages, sight and sound. Is there a difference? Does everyone have the same reaction time?