Source: Cyberchase: “The Eye of Rom”
Funding for the VITAL/Ready to Teach collection was secured through the United States Department of Education under the Ready to Teach Program.
In this video segment from Cyberchase, Bianca daydreams about being a spy. In order to save the video games of the world from being totally eliminated, Bianca must replace a crystal in the video game eliminator. To do that safely she must follow a specific number of steps and then perform the inverse of those steps.
Download and ShareHere are some Frame, Focus and Follow-up suggestions for using this video in a math lesson.
What is Frame, Focus and Follow-up?
Frame: Many of us have certain routines we follow everyday. For example, when you get up in the morning, you might have a sequence of steps that you follow, such as shut off alarm clock, brush teeth, shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast. If you do those steps in the opposite order, that is called the inverse. What would be the inverse of addition? What would be the inverse of multiplication?
Focus: As you watch this segment, write down the steps that Bianca must follow once she is in the room with the video game eliminator. After she replaces the red crystal, write down the inverse of those steps and then watch to see if Bianca follows them. If she goes wrong, where does she go wrong?
Follow Up: Write down a sequence of five steps that would direct someone to do something. Now write the inverse of those steps. Have someone try to follow the steps. Now try writing a sequence of three operations that give you a number answer. Now take that number answer and do the inverse of the steps. What did you get for an answer?
BIANCA: This is so boring, everything is so boring. My life is so dull. I wish I were a movie star, or scientist, or a secret agent.
TV GUY: The Evil Dr. Ennui has created a device that will destroy all video games. Your mission is to infiltrate his fortress, take apart the device and replace the crystal with the harmless blue one. If you follow the instructions, you will succeed. If you don’t, it was nice knowing you.
BIANCA: Inside the fortress, walk through the main hall. Avoid stepping on cracks, which contain secret switches that will set off the alarm. Go under the set of lasers. Break the beam and you will set off the alarm. Laser limbo, how quaint. Move the blue vase under the red light. Red light, red light, there is no red light, I don’t see a red light! Great, great! Now what? I’m trying to save the world and there is no red light. I’m in.
TV GUY: Step one: Place switches 1, 3 and 5 in the down position.
BIANCA: Done!
TV GUY: Step two, place switches 2 and 4 in the up position.
BIANCA: Completed.
TV GUY: Step three; unscrew the top of the control unit. Start with the top right screw and work clockwise until all the screws are out.
BIANCA: That’s done.
TV GUY: Step four; open the cover of the video game eliminator.
BIANCA: Ok.
TV GUY: Step five; replace the red crystal with the special blue crystal we gave you.
BIANCA: Ok.
TV GUY: Put it back together and do the inverse of what you did in step one, two, three and four.
BIANCA: Inverse, that means do the opposite. Now the screws. I started with the top right and worked my way around clockwise. Now I’ll start with the left and work my way around counter clockwise. Now the switches 1, 3, and 5 should be up. Oh no! I should have flipped 2 and 4 first.
TV GUY: Bianca, get out while you still can.
BIANCA: I wish I could do the inverse of this.
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