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.
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.
Pre-K-2
In this lesson, students read the book
How Big Is a Foot?, by
Rolf Myller. They then create non-standard units (using their own
footprints) and use them to make "beds." As a result, students explore
the need for a standard unit of measure.
3-5
Students participate in an activity in which they investigate the data
in connection with recyclable materials and develop plans to help the
environment. Students discuss the pros and cons of using various types
of bags at the grocery store. Classmates are surveyed to determine
which type of bag is the "best".
3-5
A post office is a good example of a real-world environment in which numbers of different types can be found. Whole numbers and fractions are introduced. Numbers that occur in a greater variety of measurement situations can also be introduced. At this level, students should be encouraged to elaborate on the way numbers are used.
3-5
Students are familiar with sports and sporting events. Whole numbers
and fractions are used to represent the size of groups or collections
and measurements involving lengths, weights, and times in many sporting
and game situations. This knowledge can be used to give the students
another picture of numbers.
3-5
Students survey members of their community to determine preferences about pizza. Students compare their results with their classmates and create graphs of their data.
3-5
Using a survey, students collect data about favorite pizza toppings. They create a double-bar graph and discuss their graphs with other members of the class.
3-5
In this lesson, students explore how variations in solar collectors
affect the energy absorbed. They make rectangular prisms that have the
same volume but different linear dimensions. Students investigate
relationships among the linear dimensions, the area, and the volume of
rectangular prisms.
3-5
Students compare the amount of water they use in daily life with the
amount allotted for each person each day on a Space Shuttle. Within
this context, students estimate and measure the weight of, and amount
of space occupied by, a gallon of water. They collect, organize, graph,
analyze, and interpret data from their investigations. The activities
in this lesson are designed to span 2‑3 class periods.
