Berry Mass Extension

So to extend on our berry mass findings from yesterday's lesson, today we compared our berries at a 1:1 ratio.

Again, we made predictions as to what we figured would be the heavier of the two and then we started to compare using our balances.

What we found was quite interesting! On a 1:1 comparison, our FRESH berries were the heavier ones this time. The class continues to speculate on why this could be, ie. bigger size of the item being weighed, size of berries within their own group (ie. some strawberries were bigger than others).

We had a lot of fun with these lessons and I loved how the students found ways to extend their learning.  They also enjoyed being able to snack on the rest of the berries (untouched ones of course).

Berry Mass Comparison

We are currently studying mass and all it encompasses. Students have learned to find the mass of various objects and have been comparing items using terms lighter than or heavier than. Upon considering ideas of how to incorprate FNMI content into this unit, I recalled a conversation I'd had with Tammy Taypotat earlier in the school year. When discussing various ideas she has done in the classroom and brainstorming different lesson ideas, she had mentioned finding the mass of berries.

Berries were a food staple for many FNMI groups. They grew in the wild throughout the country and could be harvested for sustenance.  

To incorporate this into the classroom, I decided to have students find the mass of dried berries and their fresh counterparts and then compare them (using terms heavier and lighter).  I was able to find certain dried fruits at Bulk Barn and then hunted down their fresh counterparts at Superstore and Wal-Mart. I was able to find the following berries:

Raspberries

Blueberries

Strawberries

Cranberries

(Warning: dried fruit can be VERY pricey).

To start, students made predictions as to which they thought was heavier for each type of berry: dried or fresh.  Next, we took a 1/2 cup of one type of fresh berry and found its mass using a balance and weights. Once the balance was even, I orally noted the various gram measures we used as students wrote them down on scrap paper and added them together to find the mass.  This was a great way to practice counting on, mental math and counting by 25s (we made math connections to money).

We noted this mass in our chart on the board (see pic below). Next, we found the mass of its dried counterpart and recorded it next to its fresh form.  We then made comparisons based on the masses - ie. Which one was heavier? Lighter?  What was the difference between the masses? 

Overall, students noted from the data collected that the dried forms of fruits weighed more than the fresh.  They further took the lesson to infer why this may be.  Some suggestions were: the fresh fruit didn't fill in the measuring cup (there were some gaps between the berries), there is water and air filling up the fresh berries which may make them lighter, etc.

At the end, students found ways to further extend this lesson:

1) Compare one fresh berry to one dried berry (of the same kind)

2) Soak the dried berries in water to see if they retain the water

3) Weigh dried berries soaked in water to dried berries in regular form (of the same kind) to see if there is a difference in mass

The students really enjoyed this lesson and with their inquiry have managed to extend it into tomorrow's dayplan. :)

Perimeter and Area

I found this neat activity the other day in my hunt for FNMI math material.  In our grade 3 math curriculum linear measurement unit we look at perimeter but not necessarily area.  However, this could be adapted for perimeter and the area portion could be used as an extension activity or for those grades/other curricula that encompass this concept.  Also, the use of the term "Kokum" lends nicely into cultural dialogue of terms for grandmothers and grandfathers worldwide (and can include the various cultures found in our own classrooms).

Again, this activity is from the Saskatchewan Government (alas, the document in whole which I can not seem to find online).  If any of my readers come across such document or know of it's online whereabouts, please let me know as I'd love to direct link it to my website for further acknowledgements.

Host Drum Problem Solving Task

I return to concepts taught in math as the year progresses to ensure student understanding and since math concepts continue even after a unit is "completed".  This ensures that students continually use the skills learned and apply them to various situations so that they become understood.

Last week, students worked on a Host Drum problem solving task that incorporated their knowledge of time and addition.   Each student received a sheet as follows:

(Taken from a unit from Saskatchewan Education)

To prep for the task, we read about host drums and talked about pow-wows.  I never showed a video of one, or even of a portion of pow-wow dancing, which I wish I would have and will definitely do next time. Then we looked at the examples of the host drum programs (group 1 and two) and made observations.  The students observed that there were only 5 different songs but they could be used repeatedly.  So we listed the 5 songs that were used (on the bottom of their sheet).

Next, I gave the students their task: to create a pow-wow program for the host drum for 1 hour.  Considering the information on the sheet was in minutes, they needed to use their knowledge that an hour is 60 minutes to help them (the idea of conversions to similar units).  Then we talked about starting with the grand entry and working from there.  Here are a few examples of the students' work:

 

When they finished one, they were challenged to come up with another program.

We talked about proving that the total was 60 minutes and how to show this.  This student showed it through addition equations with ongoing calculations.  We also noted how groups of 10 were made.  When asked why, this student said it was the easiest way to add and group the numbers.

The students really enjoyed this task and took on the challenge eagerly.  It was also easy to modify for those students who needed by changing the time of the program.  For these students, they made a program for 1/2 hour (30 minutes).