Pet Shop Aquarium Math / Art

In this pet store math activity, students learn about adding decimals as well as area and perimeter by designing an aquarium and collaborating with their peers to create an entire pet store wall of aquariums! - Check out my post at We Are Teachers!

Area + Perimeter Punk Rock Hair Design

Kids design a punk rock hair style and figure out the area and perimeter of their design.

Free download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17Nc3B4Q8UUPPjMxEEkaU9s0eLpsFK3rY/view?usp=sharing

5 Olympic Activities

Check out my post at We Are Teachers: 5 Olympic Activities that Integrate Core Subjects!

Post-It Note Area/Perimeter

Have you used post-it notes for a creative math lesson yet?! They're a fantastic tool to introduce the concept of area and reinforce perimeter. For this lesson, students used 25 or less post-it notes. We made a prediction: Do different shapes that have the same area have the same perimeter? Working in groups of 4, students mapped out their design and figured out the area and perimeter of their shape. Then, they found a blank wall to construct it! Click here for printables! Featured in The National Counsel of Teachers of Mathematics - thanks to my ECE professor! - if you belong, check out the article here!

The Case of the Missing Sides!

Students transform into Perimeter Detectives as they try to solve The Case of the Missing Sides! After they figure out the unknown side lengths of 10 real world irregular polygons, they must infer what they are part of! - Click here to download!

Introduction (Fence for the Vegetable Garden)

Students compare and contrast regular and irregular polygons. They are introduced to the term perimeter by relating it to a garden fence. Then, they rap along with Heath: Rap video by Heath!

Perimeter Detective

Next, they investigate real world irregular polygon photographs. They must find the length of the missing side for 10 items! Then, they use their detective skills and infer what the objects are part of! Tell your students to think creatively! Note: Older students could convert side length measurements. - Conversion Chart included in the package! Exit Slip - For reinforcement, students apply their new skills independently by figuring out the missing side lengths of five irregular polygons. Then, they rate their understanding by drawing a checkmark in the box that fits their current knowledge of the content.

Bubble Gum Exploration

Cross-curricular learning with bubble gum:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MNYQ30GsdJD1oSyImNqL73bFqz-HYGfS/view?usp=sharing

Math:
Graphing - Who can blow a bubble?
3D Solids - Comparing gum shapes
Measuring - Pre-chewed vs. chewed (stretched) vs. blowed bubble on wax paper
Mean, Median, Mode and Range (optional) - Using data for measuring
Area/Perimeter - Gum wrapper design (and real gum wrappers - optional)

Science:
States of Matter - Investigating the process of bubble blowing / physical changes of gum chewed and placed in ice water

English Language Arts:
Writing - How-to blow a bubble / Recipe for new flavor / Math word problem

Social Studies:
Economics - Cost of their gum
History - Inventor Research

Design:
Logo & Packaging - Design for their new flavor of gum

Art History Math Integration

Check out my post over at We Are Teachers! Students learn about artists while creating their own art using their math skills!

Kandinsky Math

Fractions - Students create a grid and divide the paper, exploring unit fractions. 
Multiplication - They create an array of concentric circles and write down their equation. 
Area & Perimeter - Each design is contained within a square unit. What is the area and perimeter of their entire design? 
Fractions - They write down the fraction for the main color of each square. 
Note: Older students could use a math compass to create perfect circles and figure out the circumference of each circle (geometry).
You could use any art medium for this project (paint, crayon-resist art with watercolor, oil pastels, or markers).

Zoo Habitat Design

Collaboration Project (math and science)

Students collaborate and create a giant zoo! First, tape sheets of grid paper together (cut off the white borders). Next, cut out various irregular shapes off the giant grid for the students (see image). Give each student a piece from the grid. Their mission is to figure out the area and perimeter of their land for their exhibit. They choose an animal and plot out important aspects of its habitat. Does their animal live in the arctic, forest, grasslands, or rainforest. Students think about what colors to use to correctly match their animal's habitat. They must make their animal feel at home in its exhibit. Does their animal play in the water, hide in a cave, or roll around in the mud? They add details to the exhibit. Then, they find an image of their animal online and glue it into the habitat they made. When all of the students are finished, they work together and create a zoo! They problem solve where each animal should go. Should the rhinos be near the elephants? They, glue their designs on an oversized sheet of butcher paper. Then, they add paths, signs, and fences.

CHEEZ-IT Area & Perimeter

This activity is all over pinterest! What a great way to introduce the concept of area and perimeter to kids! Start out creating squares and rectangles and find the area/perimeter. Then, have kids construct irregular polygons (and find a/p). Once they understand it, give them an area and perimeter and see if they can construct the MYSTERY shape!

Thaumatropes

Integrate art, math, science, as well as history by constructing a thaumatrope! Kids use their measuring skills and imagination to create a paper animation! "Thaumatropes are optical illusions that operate by switching between two images so rapidly that the images appear as one." - Molecular Expressions. Video by EllieBTECMedia

How to incorporate in your classroom:

Geometry - Have kids figure out the area of their circle or rectangle, as well as circumference and perimeter. You could also have them try making different shapes for their thaumatrope besides the basic circle, rectangle, or square.

Science - Create thaumatropes that go along with your unit (ex: weather: lightning and dark skies on one side and clear skies with puffy white clouds on the other). Also, states of matter: ice cube melting. They could also do a volcano erupting or a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. Kids can get super creative with the project!

History - Check it out here!

Four different ways to construct a thaumatrope! All you need is cardstock, a hole puncher, glue/tape and one of the materials below. You can draw, use photos, or write messages to create your optical illusion!

Rubber Band (you need 2)

Wooden Skewer

Straw

String

Fruit Roll Up Area/Perimeter

Have kids work in teams. Each group will need 1 box of fruit roll ups (10 snacks). Kids measure and figure out the area and perimeter of one fruit roll up. Then, they scoot a second one next to their first and find the area and perimeter of two snacks. They keep adding additional snacks, creating a large shape (finding the area and perimeter each time).

The Mega Penny Project

The Mega Penny Project: explore value, weight, area, and the size of a stacked pile of lots of pennies!
Link for image above: one hundred million

Lego Stud Die

Use with Lego Geometry (area / perimeter) and Lego Groups of (multiplication) at a math station! 

Kids take turns rolling the die

Lego Geometry: The child with the largest area wins!

Lego Groups of: The child with the largest product wins!

Save die to desktop and print

Magic Grow Capsule: Math / Science

Check out Flap Jack Educational Resources for a magical area activity with grow capsules! Kids find the area of their animal sponge. Then, they construct a habitat for it!

Also, check out Science Matters for how you can use grow capsules to explore the scientific method (water temperature and various liquids).

Then, visit Fall into First to see how they used magic grow capsules to inspire them to write an animal report!

Mardi Gras Bead Geometry

First, have kids make an inference about what they think each color of Mardi Gras stands for (green = faith, gold = power, and purple = justice). Next, have kids estimate how many beads they think are on the necklace. Who had the best guess?

Geometry: Split students up into teams. Have students make 3 shapes out of the necklaces (triangle, circle, and rectangle). Next, have them measure their shapes with a ruler. Then, have them figure out the area and perimeter (or circumference).

Juice Box Project

Kids measure the length, width, and height of different juice boxes to find out: "Which manufacturer has the largest volume of juice and uses the least amount of packaging material." Visit Science Buddies for all the details! Also, check out the extension activity: Rectangular ice cream containers vs. cylindrical.

Lego Chrome

Build with Chrome: Kids find and explore different plots. They can recreate a famous landmark or just play around! Once they are finished building, they can print their creation and find the area and perimeter of their structure. You can print a 3D or 2D version of your art. Click here for digital Lego Geometry on Build with Chrome. Click here for tactile Lego Geometry.

Walk Through Paper?!

Can you walk through a hole in an 8.5x11" sheet of paper? Pass out a sheet of paper to all of your students and see if they can figure out how to cut a hole large enough for them to fit through. Then, show them this magical trick! Visit Pleacher or The Math Lab for the how to (and a free printable with lines to cut the "perfect" hole)! Afterwards, stretch your paper out and try to find the area and perimeter of your paper! How did it change? For younger students, this project can tie into a basic measuring unit.

You can even fit through an index card! Click here for details!

Dream Vacation PBL Project

Project-based learning / cooperative groups of 4
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ncaWHZVTZPksE3TFNv865VtZucQkse0-/view?usp=sharing

Tell kids that they get to travel to any destination around the world! The only catch is that they will be going with 3 other classmates (only 1 destination) for 4 days and 3 nights.

Once they decide on a location, they all get an air ticket, which they fill out for their flight. The teacher cuts it and collects their boarding passes. They keep their ticket and attach it to their photo journal (a travel book they make throughout the process).

Next they research the weather forecast for the 4 days they are going so they know what to pack. Then they come up with a list of items that they should bring with them. Once again students must collaborate and decide what to pack. Each group has 1 photo journal (not each individual student). Students take turns drawing / recording in it. 

Then they research a place to stay, record the cost / research places to eat, record the cost / research things to explore, record the cost (+ the cost of traveling there: taxi, bus, rental car, etc.). The research process is the imaginary vacation!

At the end of this project compare what groups spent. Who was money savvy and found cheap lodging, food and entertainment? Who was a big spender and wanted the best of everything?!