Hey! Big Spender

Sample Standard: Solve addition and subtraction problems using currency.

Grade Level: 4

Time: 15 minutes

Materials: Large index cards with prices written on them

   Oversized $100 bills for prizes

   List of classroom items for each team with different items on each list

   Answer key for each itemized list

Group size: Any. Break the class into teams of 3.

Purpose: To use during a unit on adding and subtracting decimals using currency after students have learned how to add decimals.

Activity:

·         Prior to class put price tags on items around the classroom (e.g. pencil sharpener $12.89, white board $34.75).

·         Put students into groups of three and give each group a list of classroom items to "buy" with $100.

·         Students then go around the room looking for the prices of the items on their list and recording them.

·         Then they add up the prices to get up to $100 without going over. No calculators may be used.

·         The first group to accurately spend their $100 gets "big money" prizes of oversized $100 bills. The teacher will have the answer key for each list to be able to check quickly for accuracy.

Sample list:

White board                $34.75

Pencil sharpener          $12.87

Teacher's desk            $16.43

Computer                    $35.92

Total                            $99.97

Modification for Above-Level students:

·         Give them items that add up to more than $100 so that they have to determine which items they can buy without exceeding the $100 limit.

Balloons or Bust Opener

Sample Standard: Explain how atoms join with one another in various combinations in distinct molecules.

Grade level: 8

Time: 10 minutes

Materials: Balloons, sewing needles of varying length and thickness, cooking oil, paper towel

Group Size: Any

Purpose: To understand how molecules forming polymers have specific properties

Activity:

• Students find a partner and get their materials.
• Blow up the balloon to 80% capacity and tie it off.
• Cover the needle with cooking oil.
• Slowly, insert the tip of the needle into the bottom end of the balloon, opposite where it was tied off. It will not break.
• Slowly remove the needle from the balloon.
• Now pop the balloon by inserting the needle quickly.
• Ask students to guess why the balloon did not break the first time. (Key: The balloon is made from polymer chains that stretch and seal around the needle)
• Allow the students to partner together and experiment with this themselves.

Modification for Above-Level Students

·         Have the students diagram the combination of molecules for polymers.