Title: M&Ms: M & M Math Contributor: Janet Zydney Grade Level: 4 - 8th Subject Matter: Graphing, Probability, Whole Number Addition, and Fractions/Percents. Description: In this lesson, students predict the color distribution of the M&Ms in their bag. Then, each student receives a bag of M&Ms and counts/sorts the M&Ms into colors. Then, the students create a table with the numbers of M&Ms of each color. From the table, students calculate the percentage of each color and create a pie graph of their percentages. Then. students compare their color distribution to the manufacturers. This lesson is an exemplary case for using Microsoft Excel because it is highly motivating and fun for students. Students can be creative in developing their graphs, and they have fun eating their M&Ms. Computer Environment/ Resources: This lesson requires a lab classroom with a computer for each student and a teacher computer with LCD projector. The computers must have Microsoft Excel and an Internet Connection. Other resources include a bag of M&Ms for each student.
Sample1
Title : Create a timeline
Contributor: Katie Cunningham
Subject Matter : Mathmatics (though this will work for science, social studies or langage arts as well).
Grade Level: K-6 (or higher depending on the subject matter).
Description : Students will learn many ways to create an attractive and exciting timeline within the subject matter that is being taught. Using Excel, the class will create a timeline, using colors, shapes and even pictures to depict the information desired. This activity will teach how to use Excel in a different way, other than just creating a data spreadsheet. Students can change color, format cells and add text boxes to create an accurate and involved timeline.
Computer Environment/ Resources : Microsoft Excel 2000
Title: Math Bridges Contributor: Andrea Runyon Subject Matter: statistics, early geometry Grade Level: 4-6 Description: Students would research on the internet about famous bridges around the world. They would then record statistics such as the length, height, width, etc. on a worksheet that is provided. They should find and research 2-4 bridges, which they will compare and contrast on another provided worksheet. This will allow students to research unique bridges and copy down information about them, through reading comprehension. Also, by getting all of this information online, the students will learn how to navigate online and will learn simple math skills by adding and subtracting to find the similarities and differences of their chosen bridges. Computer Environment/ Resources: This activity calls for a computer lab classroom that includes a computer for each student. Each computer must have internet access as well.
Title:Fun, Family Waterpark Vacation Webquest Contributor: Audrey Zink Subject Matter: Math Grade Level: 6 Description: To begin this fun challenge, you must form a group of three people to accomplish this task of planning the best deal for your family vacation to a water park. Let's begin by saying that it is your job to make this vacation the best and cheapest for your family. A fictional family for this trip will be based on mom, dad, older sister, you and little two-year old brother (toddler). For this activity, you must use the computer to research three different indoor water park websites to determine the best deal for your fictional family and two out-of-state water parks. When doing this assignment to make the best deal, you must compare the prices for each park and see which one is a better deal for your money in a chart format. All three parks information must be on the chart to create a valid argument. The two out-of-state water parks will be in a summary format. At the end of the activity, you will be able to tell me which indoor water park is the best deal for your family and why with statistics in your chart. Computer Environment/ Resources: In the activity, you will need a computer with Internet access for each group to be able to do research. Also, you will need to have a program (Excel) where you can make a chart to keep your data and statistics.
Title: Class Bank Contributor: Megan Gebhart Subject Matter: Mathematics, applied math Grade Level: 5th grade Description: In this great classroom experience, you allow all the students to develop and design their own class "money", along with the teacher creating their own development of checks and deposit slips, balance sheets, and "buisness account" application, which would be Excel. The teacher ( or as a class) will make up a list of multiple ways of earning money, such as cleaning up their desk or for doing well on their work. After you have that, the teacher will give the students money every time they achieve one of the ways to earn money. The class will also have to make a list of things that they have to spend their money on as well, such as when they get to class late or have to go to the bathroom. The way the students keep track of all their money is by keeping their money amounts they make on their balance sheets. Every week, the students can turn in their balances to the "banker" and then they will pass the balances to their "computer operators." The computer operator will plug in all of their money into the computer. The paperwork will be stamped and filed, just like a normal bank. It will allow the students to count money, understand banking, understand how to use their money, and also bring in better attendance among students. Computer Environment/ Resources: The teacher would need one or two computers, a printer, and the software the class will use will be a teacher-developed program to perform banking functions or database with teacher-developed template.
Title:Flying Saucer Math Contributor: Jessica Hagen Subject Matter: Math Grade Level: Could be appropriate for all elementary school math classes. However, because it involves being outside, it may work better for grades 5 or 6. Description: This math activity can go along with any lesson plan involving math, assuming the math is that which can be done without a calculator. First, the teacher needs to write one math problem on a paper plate. They need to make as many plates as there are students in the class. Each student is given a plate to throw. The teacher then takes the class outside, lines them up, and blows a whistle signaling for students to throw their paper plates like a "flying saucer." Once the plates are thrown the teacher then signals for the students to run out and get as many plates as they can. Once they have done this they are to go back to the line. Then, the student must answer the math problem on their plate or plates correctly. If they answer it correctly they get to stay on the line. If they do no answer it correctly, or if they did not get a plate to begin with, they are out of the game and must leave the line. However, if this is the case, they do have the chance to get back into the game and that is by being the first to answer the math problem correctly if a person in line did not answer it correct. This game can be fit into a lesson plan as a review or a guided practice of the math skills they are being taught. While it is an entertaining game, there are a few things a teacher must watch out for. First, being cautious because they are outside and in control of a number of students who may take advantage of running off. Next, they should watch out for students getting too competative with the game and too rough with other students. Also, because students can get back into the game you may have to set limits on how many times they can come back in because the game could otherwise last for a while. If this game is used for class the teacher must make sure to do their best to think about any problems or issues that could be had. Despite these problems, this activity is good when the whether is nice and will really help students to review and actively want to engage in learning math problems. Resources: For this activity, a teacher will need paper plates, a whistle (or some other noise-making device to keep order and start the activities), and a safe-open space for the students to complete this activity. If possible a teacher may also need help from other adults like a teacher-aide, if those resources are available to them.
Title: Tic Tac Math Contributor: Sarah Foster Subject Matter: Math (specific content can be adjusted for different grade levels) Grade Level: K-6 Description: For this lesson, the classroom would be split in half. One student from each half would come to the board and be given a question. They would have to write out the answer as quickly as possible. After this is finished the teacher would ask the class who was right and why. This is a good way to do it because the students would evaluate and assess their own work. It would make them think about why the answer is right or how they went wrong. The winning student would then get to put an X or O on the tic tac toe board. This would continue (with different students) until one team won the tic tac toe game. It's a good game because it can be made more advanced for higher grades. Computer Environment/ Resources: The teacher would need a board (chalk or white) to display the problems and the utensils appropriate for each board. Also, the teacher should have a predetermined set of questions. To include technology, a teacher could create a PowerPoint presentation with the problems already on it. Also, if there is more than one computer, the students could do computer races instead of board races. The first to answer the question correctly on the computer gets to put an X or O on the tic-tac-toe board.
Title: M&Ms: M & M Math
Contributor: Janet Zydney
Grade Level: 4 - 8th
Subject Matter: Graphing, Probability, Whole Number Addition, and Fractions/Percents.
Description: In this lesson, students predict the color distribution of the M&Ms in their bag. Then, each student receives a bag of M&Ms and counts/sorts the M&Ms into colors. Then, the students create a table with the numbers of M&Ms of each color. From the table, students calculate the percentage of each color and create a pie graph of their percentages. Then. students compare their color distribution to the manufacturers. This lesson is an exemplary case for using Microsoft Excel because it is highly motivating and fun for students. Students can be creative in developing their graphs, and they have fun eating their M&Ms.
Computer Environment/ Resources: This lesson requires a lab classroom with a computer for each student and a teacher computer with LCD projector. The computers must have Microsoft Excel and an Internet Connection. Other resources include a bag of M&Ms for each student.
Sample1
Title : Create a timeline
Contributor: Katie Cunningham
Subject Matter : Mathmatics (though this will work for science, social studies or langage arts as well).
Grade Level: K-6 (or higher depending on the subject matter).
Description : Students will learn many ways to create an attractive and exciting timeline within the subject matter that is being taught. Using Excel, the class will create a timeline, using colors, shapes and even pictures to depict the information desired. This activity will teach how to use Excel in a different way, other than just creating a data spreadsheet. Students can change color, format cells and add text boxes to create an accurate and involved timeline.
Computer Environment/ Resources : Microsoft Excel 2000
Title: Math Bridges
Contributor: Andrea Runyon
Subject Matter: statistics, early geometry
Grade Level: 4-6
Description: Students would research on the internet about famous bridges around the world. They would then record statistics such as the length, height, width, etc. on a worksheet that is provided. They should find and research 2-4 bridges, which they will compare and contrast on another provided worksheet. This will allow students to research unique bridges and copy down information about them, through reading comprehension. Also, by getting all of this information online, the students will learn how to navigate online and will learn simple math skills by adding and subtracting to find the similarities and differences of their chosen bridges.
Computer Environment/ Resources: This activity calls for a computer lab classroom that includes a computer for each student. Each computer must have internet access as well.
Title: Fun, Family Waterpark Vacation Webquest
Contributor: Audrey Zink
Subject Matter: Math
Grade Level: 6
Description: To begin this fun challenge, you must form a group of three people to accomplish this task of planning the best deal for your family vacation to a water park. Let's begin by saying that it is your job to make this vacation the best and cheapest for your family. A fictional family for this trip will be based on mom, dad, older sister, you and little two-year old brother (toddler). For this activity, you must use the computer to research three different indoor water park websites to determine the best deal for your fictional family and two out-of-state water parks. When doing this assignment to make the best deal, you must compare the prices for each park and see which one is a better deal for your money in a chart format. All three parks information must be on the chart to create a valid argument. The two out-of-state water parks will be in a summary format. At the end of the activity, you will be able to tell me which indoor water park is the best deal for your family and why with statistics in your chart.
Computer Environment/ Resources: In the activity, you will need a computer with Internet access for each group to be able to do research. Also, you will need to have a program (Excel) where you can make a chart to keep your data and statistics.
Title: Class Bank
Contributor: Megan Gebhart
Subject Matter: Mathematics, applied math
Grade Level: 5th grade
Description: In this great classroom experience, you allow all the students to develop and design their own class "money", along with the teacher creating their own development of checks and deposit slips, balance sheets, and "buisness account" application, which would be Excel. The teacher ( or as a class) will make up a list of multiple ways of earning money, such as cleaning up their desk or for doing well on their work. After you have that, the teacher will give the students money every time they achieve one of the ways to earn money. The class will also have to make a list of things that they have to spend their money on as well, such as when they get to class late or have to go to the bathroom. The way the students keep track of all their money is by keeping their money amounts they make on their balance sheets. Every week, the students can turn in their balances to the "banker" and then they will pass the balances to their "computer operators." The computer operator will plug in all of their money into the computer. The paperwork will be stamped and filed, just like a normal bank. It will allow the students to count money, understand banking, understand how to use their money, and also bring in better attendance among students.
Computer Environment/ Resources: The teacher would need one or two computers, a printer, and the software the class will use will be a teacher-developed program to perform banking functions or database with teacher-developed template.
Title: Flying Saucer Math
Contributor: Jessica Hagen
Subject Matter: Math
Grade Level: Could be appropriate for all elementary school math classes. However, because it involves being outside, it may work better for grades 5 or 6.
Description: This math activity can go along with any lesson plan involving math, assuming the math is that which can be done without a calculator. First, the teacher needs to write one math problem on a paper plate. They need to make as many plates as there are students in the class. Each student is given a plate to throw. The teacher then takes the class outside, lines them up, and blows a whistle signaling for students to throw their paper plates like a "flying saucer." Once the plates are thrown the teacher then signals for the students to run out and get as many plates as they can. Once they have done this they are to go back to the line. Then, the student must answer the math problem on their plate or plates correctly. If they answer it correctly they get to stay on the line. If they do no answer it correctly, or if they did not get a plate to begin with, they are out of the game and must leave the line. However, if this is the case, they do have the chance to get back into the game and that is by being the first to answer the math problem correctly if a person in line did not answer it correct. This game can be fit into a lesson plan as a review or a guided practice of the math skills they are being taught. While it is an entertaining game, there are a few things a teacher must watch out for. First, being cautious because they are outside and in control of a number of students who may take advantage of running off. Next, they should watch out for students getting too competative with the game and too rough with other students. Also, because students can get back into the game you may have to set limits on how many times they can come back in because the game could otherwise last for a while. If this game is used for class the teacher must make sure to do their best to think about any problems or issues that could be had. Despite these problems, this activity is good when the whether is nice and will really help students to review and actively want to engage in learning math problems.
Resources: For this activity, a teacher will need paper plates, a whistle (or some other noise-making device to keep order and start the activities), and a safe-open space for the students to complete this activity. If possible a teacher may also need help from other adults like a teacher-aide, if those resources are available to them.
Title: Tic Tac Math
Contributor: Sarah Foster
Subject Matter: Math (specific content can be adjusted for different grade levels)
Grade Level: K-6
Description: For this lesson, the classroom would be split in half. One student from each half would come to the board and be given a question. They would have to write out the answer as quickly as possible. After this is finished the teacher would ask the class who was right and why. This is a good way to do it because the students would evaluate and assess their own work. It would make them think about why the answer is right or how they went wrong. The winning student would then get to put an X or O on the tic tac toe board. This would continue (with different students) until one team won the tic tac toe game. It's a good game because it can be made more advanced for higher grades.
Computer Environment/ Resources: The teacher would need a board (chalk or white) to display the problems and the utensils appropriate for each board. Also, the teacher should have a predetermined set of questions. To include technology, a teacher could create a PowerPoint presentation with the problems already on it. Also, if there is more than one computer, the students could do computer races instead of board races. The first to answer the question correctly on the computer gets to put an X or O on the tic-tac-toe board.