M&M Math
Grade Levels: 3 - 5
Objectives
- Students will represent data in a bar graph.
- Students will learn to extrapolate data from a bar graph.
- Students will use comparison math terms.
- Students will average numbers.
Materials
- A large bag of M&M's or anything else that can be divided so that every child has an assortment of about 20 items that can be sorted by different attributes (color, size, shape). There are a number of cereals that work well for these lessons as do colored tiles.
- Graph Paper
- Crayons
- Spreadsheet software (optional)
Procedures
- Give each child a piece of 1/2 inch graph paper, crayons, and about 20 M&M' s.
- Demonstrate how to make the X and Y axis, to assign number values, and attributes to them.
- The children sort the M&M's by color, counting each color grouping as well as the total M&M's.
- Have students arrange the M&M's by color from the most to the least on the graph paper.
- Direct the students to convert this data into bar graphs.
- Tell the students to write number sentences and less than/greater than statements about their findings.
- Have students find the average number of each color for the whole class.
- Students can take all of this information, put it into a spreadsheet, and generate graphs on computers.
Walden University
Wondering about online education at Walden? Get answers to your questions, meet faculty, and learn what it's like to be a Walden student. Click here to check out our free Walden Forums!
2008 Summer Games
Celebrate this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing, China, with our resources, activities, and lessons. Try a Classroom Olympics lesson, find out more about the Top 10 Olympic Controversies, and learn more about the Modern Olympics.
Online Courses for Busy Teachers
Earn graduate credit with no commute. Finish in as few as 4 weeks. Facilitated online courses from Drake University and Pearson.
August Events
Find educational resources for every day in August. Be sure to fill your August lessons with activities for Inventor's Month and Family Fun Month.
Back to School Resources
Start the school year off with ease and enthusiasm! Our lesson plans, printables, activities, and advice range from taking attendance to learning about your new students. Learn the Top 10 Things Every Teacher Needs in the Classroom, find our Most Popular Bulletin Boards, make students feel at ease with Icebreakers, and much more!
Drama Resources
Explore our drama resources – from Shakespearean plays to The Miracle Worker to Readers Theater – to widen your curricular focus. Students will enjoy the change of pace that putting on a classroom play will bring!
ADD/ADHD Resources
From frequently asked questions to assessment accommodations, these articles and resources will help you to deal with the special nature of students with ADD/ADHD.
