Showing posts with label 3D solids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3D solids. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

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


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Rubber Band Ball Geometry

This is a beginning to end of the year project! As a class, kids construct a rubber band ball and watch it grow! Kids bring in rubber bands throughout the year to contribute to the ball. As the ball grows, measurements are taken. Kids figure out the diameter, radius, circumference and area of the sphere. They chart the ball's growth, creating a graph

Click here for instructions on how to make a rubber band ball!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Shape Trading Cards


Kids draw the shape and fill out the back of the cards. Click here for the printable.
Note: Don't cut along the center line. The card folds in half, so there is a front and back.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Octacube

paper cubes via flickr cc: Malachi Brown

This 8 cube puzzle helps kids develop problem solving skills, while exploring geometry! The goal - "build a 2×2×2 cube, so that every side of the larger cube has only one color, and so that faces that touch each other match in color." - Jaap. Above is an example of what your color patterns on your cube template should look like. You can find a blank printable cube template here (you will need 8 cubes for the puzzle). Visit Jaap's Puzzle Page for more details!

Note: You could also paint wood cube blocks.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Strongest Shape

Geometry experiment from Zoom, which shape is the strongest? Check it out here!

photos via Zoom

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Marshmallows 101



Chemistry - Have fun munching and constucting a marshmallow atom!
Featured above:
3D model - Angelfire
Paper Plate "Electron Shells" - The Daniel Academy
2D model - Lights, Camera, Learn

More atom activities:
Over-sized outdoor atom on the blacktop - 5th Grade Rocks, 5th Grade Rules - kids play the role of the protons, neutrons, and electrons! Plus, many more hands on projects!
Scholastic - Chemistry for 3rd graders - lots of activities that kids can snack on!

photo via adventures of first grade
Geometry - If you don't eat all of your marshmallows, save them for a the classic toothpick and mini marshmallow geometry lesson! Kids construct outlines of 3D solids, as well as polygons. This is a great activity to help kids count the vertices of shapes! (Note: You will want to use dried spaghetti for the rectangular prism to get the correct number of vertices) Visit Adventures of First Grade for details! There is even a scavenger hunt to go along with this activity!


photo credit Tufts Now
Engineering - You can also just have fun free stylin'! Kids can become mini engineers and build skyscrapers and bridges! Who can make the tallest structure without it collapsing?! - link for tall structures here!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

2D and 3D Geometric Towns

Integrate math, social studies, and art with 2 awesome projects! 

1. 2D GEOMETRIC TOWN (LINE SEGMENTS) - Check out ABC Teach Geometric Town Map project (more advanced)! View examples at Engrade and Mrs. Sandri Math.

2. 3D GEOMETRIC TOWN - Get creative and "develop basic mapping and geography skills including the use of symbols, compass directions, scale, and grid coordinates," by creating a 3D Town - Peggy Healy Stearns - (photo of town featured above). Visit Parent's Choice for free building pattern printables (store fronts / town accessories), as well as map printables (cardinal rose, coordinate grid, etc)! Also, check out Fun Stuff To Do for lots of 3D solid patterns for your town buildings, and see their version of a Geometric Town!

To turn this into a PBL project, combine the 2 activities! Make small 2D maps of your 3D geometric town. Share your town on a parent night! Pass out maps to the tourists (aka parents) and have them visit your Geometric Town!

Note: You can also add fractions to your town, click here for details!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

WANTED!

Uh-oh, numbers and shapes are on the loose! It's up to kids to find them! First, kids create a wanted poster for a geometric solid. The wanted poster will help them retain a geometric solid's attributes. It will also help them with recognizing 3D solids in the real world. Then, they create a wanted poster for a numeral. This activity will help kids improve their number sense. Will their descriptions catch the mischievous culprits? After they complete their posters, you can incorporate writing with the project. Have kids write why their numeral or shape is wanted. What did it do to get into trouble?

Sunday, June 3, 2012

3D Newspaper Shapes



Classroom Magic, The Brainy Bunch, and Year 4 made newspaper dowels to construct 3D geometric shapes! Kids roll newspaper into dowels. Visit Classroom Magic for a video tutorial on how to roll your newspaper. Then, kids tape or staple the dowels to form the edges of their geometric figure. This activity helps kids remember how many edges geometric shapes have. Once constructed, they can count the vertices and open faces.

You can make your geometric shape as large as you'd like. You can even create a geodesic dome fort! Visit Geodesic Green House or Instructables for instructions. Also check out Mrs. Amelia Preschool's newspaper sculpture.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Play-Doh Math and Science

Have fun with play-doh while learning math and science!

States of Matter
First, make a hypothesis and a prediction, will the volume or weight of play-doh change after it is played with? Ask kids what state of matter does play-doh belong to? Is it a solid, liquid, or gas? If play-doh is smushed, is that an example of a chemical or physical change in matter? Explanation - Changing the shape and form is an example of a physical change in matter. Play-doh can take on many forms and return back to its original form.

Geometry
1. Take play-doh out of the canister and keep it in its cylinder shape. Now, find the radius of your circular base. Then, measure the height of your cylinder.
2. Figure out the volume
3. Have fun with your play-doh, mush, smash, roll, and bend it for at least 10 minutes.
4. After playing with it, return it back to its original state by putting it back into its container.
5. Once it's a cylinder again, take its measurements and find the volume. What happened? Is the volume still the same?

Experiment with finding the volume of various 3D play-doh solids (cubes, rectangular prisms, etc.). Visit UEN or Science Buddies for instructions.

Weight for younger kids
Weigh play-doh before and after playing with it. Did the weight of the play-doh change? Weigh the play-doh in a variety of shapes and irregular forms. Does shape make a difference in weight? 

More Math Activities
1. Measure the length and width of play-doh straight out of the canister. Create play-doh shapes and sculptures and measure. Compare your measurements to the dough straight from the canister. See who can make the longest piece of play-doh using only one canister of dough. Combine your play-doh snake and measure!
2. Use play-doh on ten frames. Kids pinch off pieces and roll pieces into balls to represent numbers on a ten frame. 

More Play-Doh Science
1. Make an electrical circuit with play-doh, while learning about insulators and conductors! 
2. Visit Andy Brain for a play-doh buoyancy activity!

Friday, April 6, 2012

Guess My 3D Shape

Pass out paper lunch bags and have kids find a 3D solid to put inside. Also, have students write three clues that describe their 3D shape on the outside of their bag. Then, they bring it back to class and the other kids guess their shape. Kids will have fun seeing all the interesting objects their classmates found!

So everyone doesn't have the same shape and to reinforce learning, I recommend choosing a small group each week to take home bags. Assign shapes to kids and tell them to keep their shape a secret!

Continue with the activity weekly until everyone in the class has had a turn.


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Gumdrop Earthquake




Mr. Hansen's 7th grade Science class demonstrated "the effects of earthquakes on engineered structures." See who can build the strongest structure. Who's will last the longest through a fake earthquake?

Visit Exploratorium to find out how to build a strong, long lasting structure!