November Calendar Suggestion

Here is my suggestion for calendar time for the month of November:  Create a pattern of coins.
  I used plastic money and just double-stick taped it to the laminated calendar.

As each new coin is introduced, a new piece of information can be discussed about that particular coin. 

 I think it would also be interesting to use the copy machine and make some copies of different state quarters and not just use the same traditional quarter over and over. 

You could also use a pattern of coins fronts and coin backs.

Mathematically talented student suggestion: They could keep a running total of the value of the coins.

What pattern do you see? Coins that represent an increasing value-1cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents

Good class discussion: As the coin increases in value, does it's size also increase?

What would you discuss in your class if you used this calendar for November?

Smiles,
Deborah

Money Pattern Cards

With the help of a at-home parent volunteer, you can make these coin pattern strips for a math center on money or patterns. The value in the money center is when the students share their patterns with each other they must say, " Nickel, nickel, quarter, dime, nickel, nickel, quarter, dime." or " 5 cents, 5 cents, 25 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents, 5 cents, 25 cents, 10 cents." The strips starts the students on a particular pattern, and then the pattern continues right off the strip!

Here is a downloadable parent note to ask for their help.

Deborah

Authentic Money Measurement Activity

I just opened my Sunday paper to find "The Great Big 

Toys R Us Book" flyer. Last year I did the following activity with 4th and 5th Grade classes and it was very successful.

First, I collected all my neighbors' books and then went to the local Toy R Us store to obtain more books until I had a total of one for every two students in the class. The student work with a partner on this activity, but each student purchased their own individual items. 

Each student will have $200 to spend using the Toys Are Us Catalog. They may spend less than $200.00, but they may not spend more than $200. They must purchase a minimum of 4 items.  They do not need to worry about calculating tax. 

(Though if you did this activity with 6th Grade classes calculating tax would be a good idea.)

The students will receive a “Waitress receipt form” 

to list their purchases and the accompanying prices for each item.(I bought them at Walmart for around $3.00. For some reason, using the pre-printed pad form made the activity more engaging for the students)  The students must obtain a total of all purchases at the bottom of the receipt form.  

I would suggest that you make them add the Waitress receipt form dollar amounts without a calculator.  If you need to differentiate for some students let them use the calculator.

On the back of the receipt, students are to calculate their change from the $200.00 that they were told they could spend.

 

When the students are ready to hand in their completed assignment, they are to check their work with a calculator in front of the teacher.  Any errors need to be corrected.  The teacher will write the amount of change in RED on the receipt.

As a whole class, make an “amount of change” ranking from the lowest (or closest to spending exactly $200.00) to the greatest amount of change received. (This is another opportunity to compare numbers. If you don’t have time to complete this part of the activity today, save it and as a whole group do this activity the following day.)

Deborah