This workshop shares a Year 8 measurement topic investigation assessment, adapted from a textbook context involving athletics tracks. The task was designed to interleave circle perimeter, Pythagoras’ theorem, and linear relationships, supporting connections across topics.

Students explore the structure of a 400 m track and identify patterns in stagger distances, before generalising these relationships into a linear model. The task is then extended to the 800 m race, where students use a right-angled triangle model to approximate the additional distance created when runners cut into lane 1.

The session will outline how the task was implemented in the classroom, including scaffolding decisions, challenges encountered, and observations of student thinking. This reflects my experience as an early career teacher trialling the task in a classroom context.

The intention is to share a practical example of adapting a textbook idea into an investigation that encourages reasoning and connections between mathematical concepts. A rubric aligned with ACARA Version 9 and informed by SACE-style criteria will also be shared. Participants will be invited to share feedback and discuss how the task and rubric could be refined and adapted to suit a range of Year 8 learners and classroom contexts.