Pre-K-2
In this lesson for grades 1‑2, students balance pairs of like and
unlike objects by changing distance from the fulcrum. Students use a
crayon (as the fulcrum) and a ruler to represent the balance.
3-5
In this lesson for grades 3‑5, students participate in activities in
which they focus on patterns and relations that can be developed from
the exploration of balance, mass, length of the mass arm, and the
position of the fulcrum. The focus of this lesson is determining the
position necessary to balance uneven objects and the effect on balance
of moving the fulcrum.
6-8
In this lesson for grades 6‑8, students participate in activities in
which they focus on patterns and relations that can be developed from
the exploration of balance, mass, length of the mass arm, and the
position of the fulcrum. The focus of this lesson is the relationship
between the length of the arm and the mass of the objects.
Pre-K-2
In this lesson, students participate in activities to develop concepts of measurement and statistics. Students are asked to measure distances using non-standard units and to record their measurement in a bar graph. Then they are asked to make comparisons using the bar graph.
Pre-K-2
The following lesson introduces elementary students to subtraction. The
objective is to create a link between students' experiences and
mathematics. By the end of the lesson it is expected that students have
a deep understanding of subtraction and how it relates to their world.
This lesson was adapted from "Helping Students Understand Subtraction"
by Anita Page, which appeared in the November 1994
Teaching Children Mathematics, Vol. 1, No. 3.
3-5
Students determine the amount of each ingredient needed to make brownies, and then they figure out how to divide the brownies evenly among their classmates. This lesson helps students reinforce their measurement skills in a practical situation.
3-5
The activities in this lesson focuses on studying information displayed
in pictographs that report the sales of records, tapes, and compact
discs for one week at a music store. The students are asked to discuss
and then describe the information and to explain the numbers sold in
each category. They are asked to defend their explanation.
Pre-K-2
In the following lesson, students participate in activities in which they focus on connections between mathematics and children's literature. Specifically, students use clues to sort and classify buttons.
Pre-K-2
Students read the poem "Shapes" from
A Light in the Attic, by
Shel Silverstein, and create their own illustration of the poem. In
this lesson, students explore geometric figures and positional words.
3-5
In this lesson, students read the book
Counting on Frank. They
use information in the book to make estimates involving volume. In
particular, students explore the size of humpback whales.
