Teaching the Common Core Math Standards With Hands-On Activities, Grades 3-5 (15 page)

Activity 1: Time to Read

You will read
Telling Time with Big Mama Cat
by Dan Harper to your class. Students will determine what the time is as you read about the events in the story.

Materials

A copy of the book
Telling Time with Big Mama Cat
by Dan Harper (HMH Books, 1998) for the teacher.

Procedure

1.
Explain that you will read a story about Big Mama Cat and time. Start by showing the fold-out clock at the front of the book. Adjust the hands so that they coincide with the start of the story.

2.
Read aloud. Pause as you say a time and then show the time on the clock.

3.
Ask your students questions at different points in the story. For example: What time is it now?

4.
Continue this procedure until you are finished reading.

Closure

Note the actual time in class. Ask students: What time will it be in 10 minutes? 15 minutes? 20 minutes? 30 minutes? 45 minutes? 1 hour and a half? Include more examples if you feel it is necessary.

Activity 2: What Time Is It?

Working at a Web site, students will find the correct time on virtual clocks.

Materials

Computers with Internet access for students; computer and digital project for the teacher.

Procedure

1.
Instruct your students to go to
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/
. They should click in the grades “3–5” column on the “Measurement” row and then scroll down and click on “Time—What Time Will It Be?” Explain that students will see two clocks and a question regarding time. The clocks have the same time. Students are to answer the question by changing the time on the second clock. (
Note:
The clocks will be either analog or digital and will randomly change with new problems.)

2.
Explain that they should show the new time on the round clock by moving the hands on the second clock, or on the digital clock by clicking on the arrows below the second clock. Demonstrate how to increase or decrease the time on the clocks.

3.
Explain that after students have changed the time on the second clock, they should click on “Check Answer” to see if they are right. If they are, they should click on “New Problem.” If they are wrong, they should try again to find the correct time.

4.
Instruct students to try several problems on their own.

Closure

Ask additional questions for which students must find the correct time. For example: If a movie starts at 7:15, and you are 10 minutes late, what time did you arrive at the theater? If it is 12:35, and you have a music lesson in 45 minutes, what time is your lesson?

Measurement and Data: 3.MD.2

“Solve problems involving measurement and estimation of intervals of time, liquid volumes, and masses of objects.”

2. “Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects, using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (L). Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem.”

Background

Common units of the metric system are grams (g) and kilograms (kg) for measuring mass, which is the amount of matter in an object, and liters (L) for measuring capacity, which is the amount a container can hold. Following are some general descriptions:

• A gram is a very small mass, about 0.035 ounce. Objects such as a paper clip or thumbtack weigh about 1 gram.
  
• A kilogram is equal to 1,000 grams, about 2.2 pounds. A typical textbook or a pair of sneakers weighs about a kilogram.
  
• A liter is equal to 1,000 milliliters, about 1.06 quarts. A glass of water is about
  of a liter. A common type of soda bottle contains 1 liter of soda.
  

Activity 1: Make a Metric Monster

This is likely to be a two- or three-day activity.
Working in groups of three or four, students will create a metric monster (figure) from common items found in the classroom or at home.

Materials

A metric scale; glue sticks; scissors; construction paper; items such as boxes (for example, empty cereal boxes), cylinders (empty paper towel rolls), circles (paper plates), and also pencils, erasers, notecards, spools of threads—any items that students can estimate and weigh; reproducible, “Recording the Metric Monster Mass,” for each group of students; digital camera for the teacher to photograph the metric monsters.

Preparation

In the days before the actual activity, encourage students to bring items from home that they will use to build their metric monsters; you may also collect a variety of items ahead of time. (
Note:
Items should be nonbreakable, safe, and easy to manage in the classroom; for example, discourage students from bringing in glass containers.)

Procedure

Day 1

1.
Explain the activity to your students: They will be creating a Metric Monster out of common materials.

2.
Encourage them to brainstorm what kinds of items they might use to create their Metric Monster. Students should then decide what items they need and what items each student will bring to class. (
Note:
You may want to give students a few days to bring items into class before moving on to Day 2 of the activity.)

Day 2

1.
Explain that kilograms and grams are units of measurement used for measuring mass in the metric system. Mass is the amount of matter in an object. Ask your students if they can name some objects that might be measured in kilograms and grams. Offer some examples, such as those provided in the Background.

2.
Hand out copies of the reproducible and explain that it contains spaces to record each item students use in making their Metric Monster. It also contains spaces for the estimated mass of each item, the actual mass of each item, and the difference between them.

3.
Make sure that students have enough materials. If necessary, provide some that you brought to class.

4.
Instruct students to record the name of each item they use for their Metric Monster in the first column on the reproducible. They are to estimate the weight of each item in grams or kilograms and record the estimated mass in the second column. Next they should weigh each item and record its actual mass in the third column. Finally, they are to find the difference in the values of the estimated and actual mass and record the difference in the fourth column.

5.
Encourage students to create their Metric Monsters. Take pictures of their monsters and print them. (
Note:
Be sure to follow the guidelines of your school for taking pictures in class.)

Day 3

1.
Distribute the pictures of students' Metric Monsters.

2.
Instruct students to attach the pictures to their sheet, “Recording the Metric Monster Mass.”

Closure

Discuss the mass of your students' monsters. Ask questions such as the following: How did your estimates of the mass of various items compare to the actual mass of the items? Did the accuracy of your estimates improve as you found the actual mass? Why might this have been? Which monster had the greatest mass? Which had the least? How does the mass of the Metric Monster of one group compare to the mass of another group's Metric Monster? Display the “Recording the Metric Monster Mass” sheets and photos.

Activity 2: A Lot of Water

The teacher presents five containers partially filled with water to the class. Students will estimate the amount of water in each container. The teacher and student volunteers will verify the results by finding the capacity. Students will then write and solve word problems based on the results.

Materials

Unlined paper for each student; a dark nonpermanent marker; five clear containers of various shapes and sizes, such as a milk container, water bottle, soda bottle, vase, and glass; three 1-liter beakers for the teacher.

Preparation

Label the containers 1 through 5 with the nonpermanent marker. Use the marker to draw a line on each container to indicate the amount of water you will pour into the container. Then fill each container to the line.

Procedure

1.
Explain that liters are the basic unit for measuring capacity in the metric system. Capacity is the amount a container can hold. Ask your students if they can name some items that might be measured in liters. Offer some examples, such as those provided in the Background.

2.
Explain to your students that you have five containers filled with water.

3.
Ask students to decide how much water, in liters, is in each container. On their sheet of unlined paper, they should sketch each container with its water level so that they have a representation of its contents. They should then record their estimates for container 1, container 2, and so on beneath their sketches.

4.
After your students have recorded their estimates, find the capacity of container 1 by pouring the contents into the liter beakers. Have a student volunteer come up, read the volume, and write the amount on the board, along with the container number.

5.
Ask your students to compare their estimates with the actual measurement. They should write the actual measurement next to their estimate.

6.
Empty the beaker either by pouring the contents into a sink or back into its original container.

7.
Follow this same procedure (Steps 3 to 5) for the next four containers.

8.
Instruct your students to refer to their sketches, estimates, and the actual measurements, and write a one-step word problem involving either addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.