*()( L=J; ;YeZja\_]$ E9 >gj egj] eYl` a\]Yk$ nakal `llh2''eapaf_afeYl`&l]j[&]\m How Many in a Minute Goal: Keep track of how much you can do in a minute Before beginning Pick something everyone will do for a minute, such as jumping jacks or drawing stars. X Predict How many stars do you think you can draw in a minute? Why do you think so? Record predictions (optional). Y Keep track Time for one minute while everyone does the activity and keeps count. Z How many? Compare predictions with results. [ Repeat Children compare their times on different trials. Choose a different child to be the timekeeper each time. sĂƌŝĂƟŽŶƐ ƌĂǁ ƚŚĞŶ ĐŽƵŶƚ ;ĞĂƐŝĞƌͿ Children draw as many circles or stars as they can in am minute. Then, they count them. They don’t have to draw and count at the same time. ƐƟŵĂƚĞ Ă ŵŝŶƵƚĞ ;ƐĂŵĞ ĂƐ ŵĂŝŶ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJͿ Explain the procedure, and then try it: Everyone shut your eyes. I’ll say “Start!” when I’m going to start timing. Raise your hand when you think one minute is up. Note whose hands go up before one minute, whose at one minute, and whose after one minute. Once all hands are up, tell them the results. dŝŵĞ LJŽƵƌƐĞůĨ ;ŚĂƌĚĞƌͿ Children pair up. One times a minute while the other does the activity and keeps count. Then, they switch roles. 'ƌĂĚĞƐ K–6+ DŝŶŝŵƵŵ ŶƵŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂŶƚƐ 1 ^ƵŐŐĞƐƚĞĚ ŐƌŽƵƉŝŶŐ individual Time: 10 minutes or less Math: ĞƐƟŵĂƟŶŐ ƟŵĞ ;Ă ŵŝŶƵƚĞͿ ĐŽƵŶƟŶŐ ďLJ ϮƐ ϱƐ ĂŶĚ ŽƚŚĞƌ ŶƵŵďĞƌƐ DĂƚĞƌŝĂůƐ ĐůŽĐŬ Žƌ ǁĂƚĐŚ ƚŚĂƚ ƐŚŽǁƐ ŵŝŶƵƚĞƐ and seconds ƉĂƉĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƉĞŶĐŝů ;ŽƉƟŽŶĂůͿ WƌĞƌĞƋƵŝƐŝƚĞƐ none ŽŽŬƐ ĂďŽƵƚ ŵŝŶƵƚĞƐ A Second Is a Hiccup: A Child’s Book of Time. ,ƵƚĐŚŝŶƐ , : ;ƌƚŚƵƌ >ĞǀŝŶĞ ϮϬϬϳͿ dĞŶ DŝŶƵƚĞƐ Ɵůů ĞĚƟŵĞ ZĂƚŚŵĂŶŶ WĞŐŐLJ ;WƵƚŶĂŵ ϭϵϵϴͿ Talk About...
Transcript
How Many in a Minute
Goal: Keep track of how much you can do in a minute
Before beginning
Pick something everyone will do for a minute, such as jumping jacks or drawing stars.
Predict
How many stars do you think you can draw in a minute? Why do you think so?
Record predictions (optional).
Keep track
Time for one minute while everyone does the activity and keeps count.
How many?
Compare predictions with results.
Repeat
Children compare their times on different trials. Choose a different child to be the timekeeper each time.
Children draw as many circles or stars as they can in am minute. Then, they count them. They don’t have to draw and count at the same time.
Explain the procedure, and then try it:
Everyone shut your eyes. I’ll say “Start!” when I’m going to start timing. Raise your hand when you think one minute is up.
Note whose hands go up before one minute, whose at one minute, and whose after one minute. Once all hands are up, tell them the results.
Children pair up. One times a minute while the other does the activity and keeps count. Then, they switch roles.
K–6+
1
individual
Time: 10 minutes or less
Math:
and seconds
none
A Second Is a Hiccup: A Child’s Book of Time.
Talk About...
How Many in a Minute gives children a reason to count efficiently and accurately. Ask children to do the activity, share and reflect on counting strategies, and try it again.
This example is drawn from a program in which a group of 5–8 year old children drew as many stars as they could in a minute.
After children drew as many stars as they could, they were asked:
How did you draw your stars?
Child 1: I just did it fast. Child 2: I did lines (across). Child 3: All over the page. Child 4: Two rows.
What did you do when you counted? How did you count?
Child 1: I wrote the numbers as I counted. Child 2: I counted across by 1’s Child 3: Up and down. Child 4: By 2’s. Child 5: By 10’s.
How Many in a Minute
Was it easy for you to count? Why or why not?
Some children who counted each star reported that they lost count and had to start over. The child who numbered each star was able to keep track, but her method was time-consuming. A child who made rows of 10 simply counted by 10’s.
Try it again
The second time they did the activity, many of the children organized the stars in rows or groups as they drew. They were able to count more quickly and easily to find their totals.
Organizing counts in groups works for physical activity, too. Some people count jumping jacks according to a rhythm or in a pattern such as “20, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 30, 1, 2, 3,…”)
Majority Rules
Choose a yes-or-no question for the group vote, such as:
Should we play basketball today?
Explain that the group will go with whatever...
Easy. ...at least 1/2 or 50% chooses.
Medium. ...at least 3/4 or 75% chooses.
Hard. ...at least 2/3 chooses.
Vote
Use show of hands or private ballot. Designate one or two children to keep track of the number of votes for each choice and the total.
Tally the responses
Did either choice receive enough votes? How do you know?
For 2/3, children may use calculators. Or, see the Math Spotlight for ideas on finding 2/3.
If no choices received enough votes, debate the options and vote again.
Tally it up (easier). Go with whatever choice gets more votes.
Nearly everyone (harder). Go with whichever choice gets at least 90% of the vote. Use calculators to find 90%.
Grades: 2–6+
4
Suggested grouping: whole group
Time: 10 minutes or less
Math:
Materials:
Prerequisites: familiarity with 1/2
Murphy, Stuart.
Which Would You Rather Be? Steig,
Talk About...
Spotlight
Finding 2/3
14 out of 17 children voted yes. Is that more or less than 2/3?
First, divide into three groups as evenly as possible.
Each group is about 1/3.
If two groups voted yes, about 2/3 voted yes.
Sales and discounts
Discounts of 10% and its multiples (20%, 30%, etc.) are common. Being able to find 10% in your head can come in handy:
10% of $10.00 is $1.00.
10% of $10.50 is $1.05.
10% of $3.00 is $0.30 (30¢).
10% of $3.50 is $0.35 (35¢).
You can use 10% to find other percents:
20% is double 10%.
5% is half of 10%.
Majority Rules
Before beginning
Choose a flat surface, such as a table top or window that children can reach. Children will predict if their giant objects will cover the table (or window).
Would a giant one cover the table?
Hold up one of the objects. Ask children to predict its length and width if it were enlarged five times.
If this eraser were five times longer, would it fit on the table? What if it were also five times wider?
Distribute objects, paper, and other supplies to each pair. Ask them to make and record two predictions:
Would it cover the table? Would it cover you if you were lying down?
Make it five times the length and five times the width
Children trace the object five times across and down. Or, they measure and multiply using rulers or graph paper.
Then they cut and decorate.
Make a museum
Display giant objects next to the originals.
How did you make your giant object? Was it as long as you predicted? Was it as wide?How many times more area does the giant one cover?
Enlarge a flat rectangular object three times in length and three times in width.
Enlarge a three-dimensional rectangular solid object, such as a thick book, pencil sharpener, or small box.
Try using a different size grid, or block out some squares.
Read The Name of the Tree: A Bantu Tale Retold. Lottridge, Celia.
(Groundwood, 2002).
Grapes of Math. Tang, Greg. (Scholastic, 2003).
Grades: K–6+ Number of players: 2 Skills: patterns
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Line Up
Goal: Get in order by something easy to compare, such as height or arm span
Before beginning
Choose a size characteristic that children can physically compare, such as foot length or hair length.
Predict
Tell children they will be lining up from largest to smallest.
We’ll be lining up by arm span. Do you think you’ll be the start, middle, or end of the line?
Line up!
Everyone makes comparisons and stands in order. If two children have the same measurement, they stand side by side.
Are we in order?
Check and change places if needed.
Are you in the part of the lineup you predicted?
Are there any people with the same height? Which height is most common?
If we do this again in 6 months, do you think everyone will be in the same place in line?
Line up for a moment (easier). Divide into groups of 5 or 6. Each smaller group lines up. That way, no one waits too long in line while others are deciding where they stand.
Guess our lineup (harder). One person is the Detective and leaves the room while the others line up in order by a secret characteristic. The Detective returns, looks over the lineup, and tries to determine the characteristic by asking yes-or-no questions.
Line up according to the same characteristic at different points in the year. For instance, line up by height at the start of the year and record the order. Try it again in March, and compare how the order changed.
Grades: K–2
4
Suggested grouping: divide into
groups of 4–10
Time: 10 minutes or less
Math: comparing height; graphing
Materials:
none
Prerequisites: none
Books about comparing sizes:
The Best Bug Parade. Murphy, Stuart.
(Harper Trophy, 1996).
The Giant Cabbage: An Alaskan Folktale. (Sasquatch, 2003).
Talk About...
Talk About...
Spotlight
Graphing
When children line up in order, they form a human graph. Each person is like a “point” on the graph.
The line shows the characteristics of the group:the largest and smallest measurementsthe range, or span of measurementsthe slope, or variation from person to personcommon or modal values—whether some measurements are the same
Comparing sizes
This activity helps children visually compare height, length, and width. Since most of us don’t carry around measuring tapes, we make a lot of judgments based on relative sizes. Are these pants likely to be wide enough for me? Is this book too tall for my bookshelf? Will this container fit on the bottom refrigerator shelf?
With practice, people become good at making comparisons. Hairdressers can quickly judge hair length; carpenters are good at determining if two boards are the same size; athletes can judge the distance remaining to a finish line.
Create a “Look Around” list with number, measurement, and shape questions.
Easy/Medium. Use or adapt “Look Around List 1”. Include questions involving small numbers and measuring with hands and feet. Review questions with less skilled readers.
Medium/Hard. Use or adapt “Look Around List 2”. Include questions that require measuring with rulers, edtimating, and numbers 50 and up.
Individual children or pairs take “Look Around” lists, rulers, and pencils.
As needed, review how to measure with rulers.
Ask children how they located particular items on the list. For instance:
Can you show us how you measured with your hands? Did anyone try that and get a different number of hands? Why might that be?
Children submit questions for another “Look Around” list.
Talk About...
Look Around
How many windows are in the room?
Measure with your hands.
How many hands across a small table?
Find a book you want read.
How many colors are on the cover?
Measure with your feet.
How many feet across the room?
Find a box with crayons.
Are there more than 30 crayons in it?
Find something as high as your head.
What is it?
Look Around
Are there more than 50 books in the
room?
Find something with a price on it.
What is it, and how much does it
cost?
in the room?
Find a light in the room. What shape
is it?
Find a number larger than 100. What
is it?
Find something shaped like a triangle.
What is it?
How many steps does it take you to
walk all the way around the room?
Start with your back to a window. Take 3
giant steps, turn right, and take 3 more
giant steps. Where are you?
inches high is the highest window in
the room?
What is the smallest number you can
Mystery Jars
K–6+
4
individual
10 minutes or less
none
Make the Mystery Jars:Put the smaller objects in one jar and the larger in the other. Fill each jar to about the same height.Record how many are in each jar. Don’t tell anyone!Label the jars “Jar 1” and “Jar 2.”
Make the display:Place the jars where everyone can see them. Leave out recording sheets and pencils.
Children record their estimates and their thinking. Help younger children record.
Which jar has more? How do you know?
Does the jar have about 10? about 100?
Does one jar have about twice as many as the other? about 10 times as many?
Try one of these ways:Gather children to share estimation strategies. Then, count the objects together.Post actual amounts next to the jars.
Try the activity again with different objects.
Post the amount in one jar and ask children use that information to find how many in the other jar.
Use two jars of different sizes and shapes. Fill them with the same thing. Children estimate how many in each.
Talk About...
Mystery Jars is a mathematical twist on the “guessing jar.” With Mystery Jars, children estimate rather than guess, compare amounts in two jars, and record their estimates and how they made them.
Start with the jar containing the larger objects. Ask children to look for a section they can count.
How many in the top layer? How many layers? How many in all?
Good estimators mentally break the jar into parts. They count how many in one section, and then they count, add, or multiply to find how many in all.
Which jar has more? How do you know? About how many small pompoms take up as much room as a large one?
Help children notice that more small objects take up the same space as fewer large ones.
How did others decide on an estimate? Do you agree with their strategies?
One child estimated by multiplying length by width. Another offered a correction, including height of the jar as well. Even children who copy can learn by reading through and choosing an answer they think makes sense.
Consider giving a prize to those who explain their thinking clearly or to those who explain their thinking in a unique way. Or, enter those who explain their thinking into a drawing for a prize.
Mystery Jars
How many legs are in the room?
Displays and independent activities
Count AroundFind something there is (at least) 100 of in the room.
Look AroundInclude some “100’s” in a scavenger hunt: the number 100, something 100 inches high, a book with 100 pages, something that costs 100 cents.
CalendarsNumber the days before photocopying.
Flip coins and count dimes with the Coins calendar.
Project and crafts
Count ing BooksChildren write counting story, counting by 10’s or dimes.
Paper Bag SkitsMake up a skit about 100’s, minutes, centimeters, pounds, or other 100’s.
Short activities and games
Narrow It Down: N umbersPlay a game with numbers to 100.
Fill the TimeWhat can you do to fill 100 seconds? 100 minutes?
Take TenPick up everything on the floor, 10 things at a time.
Countdown (to 1 00)What’s going to happen 100 hours from now? 100 minutes from now? Count down to find out.
Jum p on TensJump to 100. Everyone jumps on multiples of 10. Add more actions for more challenge.
N umbers in the News Find the number closest to 100 on the sports or weather page. What does it mean?
How Many in a MinuteTry “How Many in a Minute?” in reverse: predict how long it takes to draw 100 stars. Then try it.
