WV State Standards: Math: CM.2.1, CM.2.4 National Standards:  Math: 1, 2 Blooms Taxonomy: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation 21st Century Skills: Learning and Innovation Skills Creativity and Innovation Skills Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Communication and Collaboration Skills Life and Career Skills Flexibility & Adaptability Productivity & Accountability

Overview:

Catch-22 The Baseball Predicament

Frank and Gina were asked by their favorite teacher, Mrs. Shortstop, to help schedule the baseball tournament at their school.  Mrs. Shortstop reminded the students that they only used high quality West Virginia wood in the school’s bats.  The students cheered!  The problem is the baseball fields.  There are two useable fields but the main field has a concession stand and bleachers for the crowd and the other does not.  The students are very concerned because they know the fans love to eat hot dogs and other concessions during the games and the food and drink sales are one of the main fundraisers for the team over the year. 

Here are the facts, said Mrs. Shortstop:

* The girl’s team will play 9 games and the boy’s team will play 11 games.

* The games are about 50 minutes long each with a 10 minute break between.

* The main field is available for 8 hours and the other field can be used at any time during the day for remaining games

·         Please list as many scheduling options for the main field as possible. 

·         How can the games be divided up so the profits will be fair for each team?

·         What will be the financial impact of your solution(s)? 

Objective(s):

Students will:

• define opportunity cost and substitutes
• identify possible solutions
• analyze data identify the best solution for their problem.

Economic Concepts:

Opportunity Cost – what one gives up in order to have some of another thing
Substitutes – when the opportunity cost of one item is too great one will settle for another, a substitute, in its place.

Time Required:

One or two 45 minute class periods, depending on how well the students debate their results and ideas

Pre-Requisite Skills:

Basic graphing skills, Team work skills, Math calculation skills

Digital Whiteboard, or standard whiteboard/chalkboard

Instructional Materials:

1. The “Catch-22” handout (1 per small group of kids)

2. The whiteboard or chalkboard

3. Pencil and paper

4. Colored pencils

5. Graph Handout (1 per student)

Write the Catch 22 question on the board (Located under Overview on this page) so that all students can see it clearly.  Have some copies ready for groups.

Procedure:

1. Talk to the class about opportunity cost.  Give the example that everything has a price.  When I go to Kroger to buy milk, I give money in order to leave with the milk.  I give up the money because I want the milk more than the money.  Substitutes are also important.  When the price of United Dairy Milk is too high I will buy Kroger brand milk as a substitute.  Another example: I gave up all the money I could have made while working in order to spend my time going to college.  Since I did not work during that time I gave up approximately the amount of money it would cost to buy a shiny, new, fast, black Mercedes.  This indicates that I wanted a college education more then the car and that I feel it was worth the cost then in order to make more money now.  Everything we do requires choice and opportunity cost and when the price is too great often we will select something else instead.  If you want to go to the school dance on Friday you will be giving up watching your TGIF-TV line-up at home. 

2. Read aloud the Catch-22 paper.

3. Discuss any questions with the class.

4. Break the class into small groups and allow groups to come up with as many solutions as possible to the scheduling problem.  Consider the financial impact of your decisions.  Try to make your solutions fair.

5. Allow each group to decide on the best two solutions and list them on the board.     

6. Allow each group to share the criteria they used to choose their solutions.

7. Allow the class to evaluate and vote on their first and second choice solutions.

8. Ask the class, “Does choosing the second choice have any opportunity cost?  What is being given up?  Is this a good substitute solution?  Why?”

9. Allow students time independently to use colored pencils and white paper to construct graphs illustrating their recommended solution for the school.  Use the Opportunity Cost Graph.

Depending on the class, teachers may choose to allow students to work more independently or with more assistance from the teacher or peers.  Grouping students with mixed ability will allow for more growth of individual students.  Depending on the class, teacher may decide to give calculators to groups to improve speed and accuracy of calculations.

Author's Notes:

Teacher should assign groups of 3 or 4 students to complete activity.  Some classes will need part of another period to have time to discuss results and debate ideas.  Calculators will be helpful for students.

Completion of chart and final decision on solution, classroom discussion and evaluation of results