Moving Straight Ahead Quiz
A quiz on mystudiyo for my CMP2 Math class next year...
Mother’s Day
I created a video for my daughter’s Mother’s Day. This is Hunter’s first Mother’s Day…
Cinco de Mayo Day Lessons
I love the following Lesson…Going to give it a try on Cinco de Mayo Day
Cinco de Mayo Math
By Paula J. Maida
A celebration of Cinco de Mayo can spark a math fiesta!
Online Extra: A Fiesta of Math on Cinco de Mayo worksheet click here
Integrating mathematics across the curriculum offers students the opportunity to link ideas in a natural, impactive way. I shared these interactive math activities with fourth graders on Cinco de Mayo, a holiday honoring Mexican independence. These fun activities allowed for connections to be made between mathematics and other content areas such as history, and also within the area of mathematics.
Geometry and probability. To kick off the “Fiesta of Math,” I designed a worksheet for students to explore the connections between geometry and probability. The flag of Mexico offers rich math questions since it is not simply one third of each color, due to the emblem on the white region. Therefore, students need to think in terms of geometry and measurement to reason through questions including, “If the flag were lying underneath the piñata, and a piece of candy randomly fell on the flag, what is the probability it would fall on white?”
Into the sombrero. Next, I placed 11 wooden cacti into a sombrero. Each cactus had a letter on it and together they spelled “Cinco de Mayo.” The students were able to witness the connections between fractions and probability by linking the question, “What fraction of the letters are ‘c’?” with “What is the probability that if you randomly select a cactus, you pick a ‘c’?” “Are you more likely to pick a ‘c’ or a letter other than ‘c’?” “What letter(s) are most likely to be picked?” Picking without replacement was explored, resulting in students recognizing how this concept changed the denominator and sometimes the numerator.
The importance of zero and one was then explored: “If Lindsay reaches in to pick an item, what is the probability she will pick a frog?” (0/6 or 0) “A cactus?” (6/6 or 1). The students were challenged to obtain a fraction less than zero or greater than one. Their inability to do so spurred discussion about the limits of answers for probability questions.
Pull-string piñata. The students were particularly excited to see the pull-string piñata in their math classroom. While traditional piñatas are broken open with a stick, piñatas are available today that have strings attached to the bottom. Only one of the many strings will pull open the trapdoor to release the candy. This type of piñata offers a simple application in conditional probability as students recognize that their chance to pull the correct string depends on the outcome of students before them.
The plan was to have each child answer a math question before pulling a string. As the first student stepped forward I asked, “What is the probability you choose the magic string that drops the candy?” The answer is 1/30. His classmates quickly reasoned that he was more likely to not choose the magic string. Of course, I also anticipated that he would walk away with an unmagic string dangling in his hand. Yet, as Aerrol tugged on his randomly chosen string, the unlikely event happened! The trap door opened and the students were ecstatic. The irony of the moment was that I had numerous math questions planned as the suspense was to build so, when the trapdoor fell early, I momentarily thought I had lost some teachable moments. Luckily, it was quite the contrary. The students’ wide-opened mouths of shock resulted in an even more powerful math lesson as they witnessed firsthand that while an event may not appear very likely to happen, anything is possible.
Choosing math over candy. Only a handful of candy had spilled out so far and we all agreed that it would be fun to “talk more math” and dive for candy later. I tucked the trapdoor closed and we continued, with students stepping forward to answer questions before removing a string. “If you closed your eyes and randomly selected one of the colored strings, what is the probability of choosing red?” (6/29).
The piñata was decorated with tissue paper curls of various colors so I asked the next child, “If you closed your eyes and randomly picked a tissue paper curl, what is the probability that it is yellow?”
“One out of 13,” the student answered.
“How did you estimate that?”
“I counted 13 rows of colors and one of them was yellow,” he replied.
Technically, the rows of color did not all contain the same amount of tissue paper curls (for example, the body contained more surface area than the ears), but the student designed a meaningful strategy to obtain a rough estimate and he was commended for his reasoning. To place further emphasis on the importance of zero, I asked, “Knowing Aerrol is holding the magic string, what is the probability that your string choice will open the trapdoor?” “0/27, so it won’t happen,” a student answered.
I continued with various questions and the culminating piñata question of the day was, “What percent of the students in this classroom would like to have the piñata’s candy spill all over the floor now?” One of my students exclaimed, “100%!” and the trapdoor was then swiftly re-opened.
Paula Maida (above) invites a student up to give the pull-string piñata a good yank.
The end of the fiesta. After the excitement settled, each student created two unique probability questions about his or her particular bag of piñata candy and then momentarily switched questions and candy bag with a partner. The students solved these problems as our fun math fiesta drew to el fin. These engaging activities truly captured students’ interest in probability while building understanding and use of terminology through experiments related to our celebration of Cinco de Mayo.
internetconnections Topic: Cinco de Mayo
- Cinco de Mayo: www.atozteacherstuff.com List of lessons and activities for celebrating Cinco de Mayo with links for background and research.
- Celebrate Hispanic Heritage: teacher.scholastic.com Well-designed unit with Teacher’s Guide for K-1, 2-5, 6-8 and research starter. Detailed timelines and maps of famous Latinos and a graphic organizer to create a biography.
- Cinco de Mayo Activities: www.apples4theteacher.com Compiled resource list and audio e-book about Mexico, online word searches, games and activities.
Online Extra: A Fiesta of Math on Cinco de Mayo worksheet click here
I also plan on using parts of the following packet…Especially the Graphs
Wouldn’t It Be Great…
Wouldn’t it be great if all Den Star teachers organized a freedom walk at their schools next September 11…Our administrators have already given us permission to hold our 2nd Annual freedom Walk next school year…
BACKGROUND:
In 2005, Pentagon employees wishing to commemorate the attack on the Pentagon and honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001, created what has become a new national tradition - the America Supports You Freedom Walk. Over 15,000 people walked from the Pentagon to the National Mall to pay tribute to those who died; renew their commitment to freedom and the values of our country; and honor our veterans, past and present. The response from people across the country who learned of that first America Supports You Freedom Walk was overwhelming. The following year, in addition to the National Walk, 135 ASY FreedomWalks sprang up across the country. Last year, the number continued to grow as Americans everywhere embraced the idea, in fact 255 ASY Freedom Walks took place in every state in the nation, as well as in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Italy, Guam, Japan, Kuwait and Canada.
WHO CAN HOST:
The appeal of holding ASY Freedom Walks is taking root at the most basic levels of our society. Last year, 123 schools across the country hosted America Supports You Freedom Walks. Students and teachers found that ASY Freedom Walks are not only a meaningful way to capture the significance of 9/11, but offer an important history and civics lesson for students.
HOW:
● In Sebring, Ohio, a 10-year-old hosted 1000 people for his second annual ASY FreedomWalk. The walk began at B.L. Elementary School and ended at the town’s Veterans Memorial. The walk was backed by the school principal and town mayor. The youth also had a “Scribe for Soldiers” table, where everyone wrote postcards to the troops.
● All 50 of the Killeen, Texas Independent School District’s campuses held ASY Freedom Walks and that evening the Killeen community joined together for a walk. Schools did everything from making a human American flag to walking in silence 6 times around theirschool to commemorate the 6th anniversary.
● In Paramus, N.J., Mayor Jim Tedesco and U.S. Congressman Scott Garrett along with 400Paramus residents joined a first walk organized by a 12-year-old. All participants received a decorated bag filled with a donated water bottle, granola bar and a letter thanking people for taking the walk of remembrance. This youth has since written and published a book called “20 Steps to Host a Freedom Walk” to teach students his age how to organize an ASY Freedom Walk.
● A school teacher in Zachary, La., whose husband served in Iraq, organized an ASYFreedom Walk at Zachary Elementary School. The school invited local leaders, members of the military, and the Zachary High’s JROTC to present colors. The students carried pictures of those they wished to honor as they walked. A special tribute was given to the school’s principal who was called to active duty during the school year. ASY Freedom Walks are becoming a part of the fabric of our country. The demonstration ofschools gathering together to remember this significant day and those protecting our freedom is a powerful message which is felt by our Armed Forces both at home and abroad.
To learn more about how you can host an America Supports You Freedom Walk please visit
www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil
America Supports You Freedom Walks…
Greenwood Lakes Middle School’s Freedom Walk 2007
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