Transcript Who’s Hungry for Math? By: Lauren Martin & Kelly Garthwait M&M Mania Make probability fun and tasty with a big bowl of M&M’s.

Who’s Hungry for Math?
By: Lauren Martin
&
Kelly Garthwait
M&M Mania
Make probability fun and
tasty with a big bowl of
M&M’s. Have students
count the total number
of M&M’s and the
number of each color.
Next check and see if
students can predict
which color will be
picked most, least and
in between!
Data Analysis and
Probability
Raisinet Revelation
In this activity,
students use their
estimation skills to
guess how many
Raisinets are in the
jar. Then take them
out to see who is
closest!
Number and Operations
Pumpkin-Palooza
Measurement
Introduce students to
the technique of
calculating area with a
seasonal twist. Using a
standard unit of yards,
have students measure
the length and width of
a square pumpkin
patch in your town.
This hands on activity
will demonstrate the
relationship between
the formula length
times width and visible
size of the patch.
Polling your Class
Pose a question to your
students about their
favorite ice cream
flavor: strawberry,
chocolate or vanilla.
Collect and place the
results in a graph
where students can
observe and analyze
their acquired data.
Data and Analysis
Fall Festivals
Number and Operations
Have you ever considered
the different kinds of
food you eat at
Thanksgiving? In this
activity, students will
count the typical kinds
of food included in a
Thanksgiving meal. The
difficult concepts such
as part-part-whole can
be explored by
identifying the
differences in foods and
also recognizing that
together they make up a
whole meal.
Pizza Party
You are throwing your
students a pizza party.
There are 18 children
in your class. You want
to make sure you have
enough pizzas for each
student to have three
slices. Have your
students calculate how
many pizzas you will
need to buy in order for
everyone to eat their
allotted slices.
Algebra / Number and
Operations
Cooking up Fractions
Often times recipes are
a good way to
introduce fractions,
such as ½ cup of
sugar. Having
students do activities
with cooking will help
them conceptualize
fractions.
Number and Operations
Visiting the Deli
To introduce measurable
attributes of objects, it
is beneficial to include
items that are present
in daily life, such as
lunch meat. In this
case, students are
weighing different
types of lunch meat
using a scale and
analyzing the results.
Measurement
The Glass is Half
Full
Measurement
A common misconception
when dealing with volume
occurs when students are
shown two different size
cups. Often they believe
that the cup that appears
larger contains a greater
volume of water. To refute
this misunderstanding,
construct an activity
where students pour the
same amount of water in
two different size or
shaped glasses. This will
prove that the size of the
glass doesn’t matter, the
volume is still equal.
Symmetry in an Everyday
Snack
To help students recognize
symmetrical shapes in their
environment, taking a more in
depth look at fruits such as
oranges will set a visual
foundation for understanding.
Oranges are circular, meaning
that whichever angle you are
holding the orange, cutting it
in half will leave you with two
symmetrical parts.
Geometry
Tasty Dimensions in our
Groceries
Geometry
In a normal day situation,
these cones, cylinders,
cubes and other shapes are
seen as just food. When
learning to recognize
different perspectives of
shape, students would
benefit from using real life
examples such as an ice
cube or an ice cream cone.
This opportunity to compare
the different shapes evident
in their everyday food items
will allow students to see
and feel how shapes are
similar and different.
Veggie Tales
When discovering different
types of referents for making
measurements, it is critical
to provide students with
multiple examples. Using
the ideal temperature to
store vegetables in a
refrigerator, students will be
able to visualize degrees of
Fahrenheit and Celsius
other than just looking at a
thermometer outside.
Measurement
One fish-Two fishGOLDFISH
Number and Operations
Students can use a
delicious snack to work
on understanding the
concept of addition.
Have students split into
groups and create
simple algorithms that
show the process of
joining different
amounts of goldfish
together to make a
whole number.
Sweet Subtractions
Young students need
manipulatives to fully
grasp the concept of
subtraction. Having
students see and feel how
numbers change when
separating them into two
or more groups can give
students the conceptual
knowledge they need.
Number and Operations
Meal Ticket
Have students budget
money while using
their addition and
subtraction skills
when ordering food.
Each student has a
five dollar food
voucher. What
combinations of food
can you afford?
Measurement / Algebra
Donut Central
To address the concepts found in
the pattern within numbers,
have students count out the
number of donuts in a box
(12). To show an addition
pattern, set the first box of
donuts on the table and then
place two more boxes next to
them. There are twenty-four
donuts in the two boxes. Put
three boxes next to that,
which contain thirty-six
donuts. What is the pattern of
addition?
Algebra
Candy Rivalry
Measurement
Use a ruler to
measure length
using many
different referents;
inches and
centimeters. Have
students estimate
which candy bar
will be the longest
and which will be
the smallest.
Discover the truth
with a ruler.
Fruit Arrangements
Using something as simple
as fruit is a great way to
introduce the concept of
organizing a group of
data. Based on the
physical characteristics;
seed, placement, color
and shape. Have students
classify which fruit goes
into what group based on
their different attributes.
Data Analysis and
Probability
Burger Gobbling
Your class is asked to cook the
hamburgers for the
community’s annual burger
eating contest! There are three
contestants, each that need
an equal amount of burgers
available to eat. Last year the
winner ate 19 burgers in the
alloted 5 minutes, so we want
to make sure each contestant
has at least 25 burgers
available. Have students use
multiplication to find the total
amount of burgers needed to
be cooked.
Number and Operations
Cheese Platter
When dealing with recognizing
sequences, create a
problem where students
have to form a pattern
based on a certain criteria.
Upon making a threecheese platter, it is not
desirable to have the same
kind of cheese touching.
Figure out a pattern for the
cheese to be on the plate
while meeting the criteria
using letters as symbols.
A-B-C-A-B-C.
Algebra
We hope that our math notebook has
left you with some great ideas on
how to integrate food into your math
curriculum! Learning math can be
fun when you use a diverse amount
of manipulative materials!!!