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Real Life
Activities: Overview of the Lesson
Introduction
- Real-life activities used
in the classroom expose children to math in their everyday world.
Review Previous Work
- Using picture books helps
students see how math is used every day.
- Students used math journals
to discuss math topics they had learned previously.
- The concepts they discussed
included fractions, layering and measuring.
Group Work
- Using a recipe is one way
to use math in a real-life context.
- Adjusting recipes allows
students to work with fractions.
- Fractions can also be discussed
when cutting a cake.
Solving Problems with Students
- As students work together
in small groups teachers can observe difficulties that students have.
- Individual problems can
be solved one-on-one.
- Problems that many students
have can be addressed in whole class discussions.
Fractions: A Mini-Lesson
- One group tried to solve
the following multiplication problem:
2/3 x 4
- As a whole class the problem
was discussed and strategies were shared.
- By changing the problem
to addition, the students were better able to understand and reach a
solution:
2/3 + 2/3 + 2/3 + 2/3 = 8/3
Expanding the Activity
- Giving each group a different
recipe increases the variety of problems students can solve.
- Some recipes serve 4 to
5 others 6 to 8 and others 10.
- Sharing their adjusted recipes
with the class allows them to discuss the math concepts involved.
Cooking: A Real-Life Experience
- The class talked about safety
rules such as using a fire extinguisher, using potholders, and keeping
hair and flammables away from fire.
- Math is clearly used in
cooking when discussing the use of standard and non-standard measuring
tools.
Assessment
- Having students write in
math journals is one means of assessment.
- Students explain how they
see mathematics in the real world.
- As they verbalize their
learning, they must organize their thoughts and clarify their thinking.
- Sharing journals with the
class allows students to learn from each other.
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