Entomology: Cross-Curricular Learning

Kids have fun investigating insects in their natural habitat!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VSK6HrKelgtudsf66-B3jeZ8On5L4Ywh/view?usp=sharing

Includes:
1. Letters and photos from Entomologist Greg prompting kids to do different experimentations.
2. 3 Insect Investigation Worksheets: identifying, describing, comparing and contrasting
3. Insect Trading Card Project: measurement and data collection
4. 4 Insect Posters: insect characteristics, non-insect characteristics, mouth parts and compound eyes
5. Insect Fraction and Graphing: oversized images of insects are hung up around the classroom and kids have to circle whether the specimens are insects or not. Then they make a graph of their findings and record fractions.
6. Ant Restaurant Experiment and Recording Sheet: kids have a menu and add their own items to a paper plate for experimentation. Then they graph the results of the experiment (as a class).
7. Label Ant Worksheet
8. Metamorphosis Monarch Sequencing Cards and Worksheet
9. Create Your Own Ladybug Sequencing Cards and Ladybug Lifecycle Worksheet
10. Lifecycle Comic Strip Tech Project
11. Incomplete Metamorphosis Worksheet: Grasshopper and Dragonfly
12. Butterfly Feeder Instructions: kids make daily recordings of the feeder
13. Letter from Greg prompting kids to research an insect from a different biome

Halloween Math Art Projects

Check out my We Are Teachers post: 3 Halloween Art Projects that Incorporate Math!

Half Yellow

Visit We Are Teachers to check out Half Yellow Fraction Art with geometric pattern blocks!

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!

Equivalent Fractions Musical Plates

Get children up and moving with this fun, kinesthetic fraction activity! Children are given a fraction and dance around to music, trying to find its equivalent. Written and visual representations of fractions are used to assess children's understanding!

materials:

post-it notes

paper plates

sharpie to write fractions

visual representations of fractions to glue on plate

music

instructions:

Give each student a fraction written on a post-it note. Students remember their fraction and stick it on their shirt. Next, lay out the paper plates with fractions written (or pasted) on them. You should make a variety of equivalent fraction plates for each student and spread them far apart. Then, each student will have to really look to find a plate that is equivalent.

Start up the music and children dance and hunt for a fraction that is equivalent to their own. When they find a fraction that is equivalent, they stand on the paper plate. If they don't find an equivalent fraction before the music stops, they're out! For each round, students keep hunting for fractions. Once there are no more fractions that are equivalent to their own, they sit out. They found all of their fractions! 

This activity can be played as a whole group or with small groups to assess the children's learning. 

Fraction Pictionary

This activity is from the Oregon Department of Education. Students play Pictionary with fractions! Divide students into teams. One child draws the fraction on the board. His/her teammates try to guess the image as well as the fraction! If their team guesses correctly they get a point. When drawing, children can divide single objects to represent fractions (shown above) and you could also thrown in multiple objects. For example, 2/5 dogs. A student could draw 2 dogs and 3 cats. Also, check out Fraction Charades!

Lite Brite Pointillism & Percentages

Using the web 2.0 tool Happy Daric Lite Brite, students learn about the art technique pointillism and explore fractions and percentages! Have students create a unique design on the lite brite. While they are making their art, have them tally each time they add a color.  Next, students write a fraction for each color. Then, they divide and multiply to figure out the percentage of each color they used. Students round their percentages. Then, they check their work to make sure all the colors add up to 100%. 

Vedic Square Math Art

This math art project comes from Miss Bowler's Partridge Class! Kids practice their multiplication tables while creating art! They have to problem solve when filling in their Vedic Square. Their square should not include any two-digit numbers. If the solution is a two digit number for one of their boxes, they must add the numbers in the ones and tens place together to obtain a single digit. For example, 4x4 equals 16. Instead of writing 16 in the box they write 7 (1+6=7).

After they fill in their square, they look for patterns. They can further investigate patterns by choosing one number and connecting it to the same numbers throughout the square. For example, connect all 4's to each other.

Next, they can color in the squares to create a design. Then, they can count up the squares and write a fraction for each color. How many times did the number one show up in the Vedic Square (6/ 81)? They can make copies of their design, transform the pieces (reflection and rotation) to create one large, colorful piece of art. Visit Miss Bowler's page for more details!

Click here for a Vedic Square printable. Check out more multiplication art here: Art in Numbers: Multiplication Patterns

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).

Newspaper Fraction Dancing!

Turn on the music! This math activity comes from Mrs. King Rocks! Kids learn about fractions by folding and dancing on newspaper! Visit Mrs. King's Music Class to see the activity in action!

Fraction Tree

Kids construct a paper tree of fractions! First, they create a trunk and branches. The trunk represents 1 whole. Once they have their trunk cut out, they cut branches to represent 1/2 and 1/4 of their trunk. Then, they paint leaves with a q-tip and write down the fraction for each color they used.

Click here for an example of a different fraction tree kids can make!

Sand Art Math

Integrate math, art, and science by creating sand art!

Math

Have kids figure out the fraction of each color they use in their sand art (bottle or paper)

Capacity - Kids measure the sand they pour in the bottle

Science 

Rocks/Minerals Unit, rocks broken down equals sand!

For more fun with sand, check out the sand castle experiment!

Fraction Color Spinner

Integrate math, art, and science by creating a colorful spinning toy! Kids trace a circle (at least 6 inch diameter) on poster board (or cardstock) and divide it into six equal parts. Then, they color it in, using any colors they'd like! Once it's colored, an adult punches two holes in the center of the circle. Kids measure out a 3 foot piece of string or yarn and lace it through their circle. Move the circle towards the center of the yarn (keep the one side of the string in a loop - don't pull the string all the way through). Next, tie a knot on the other side so it has a loop. Then, twist the string up by flipping the circle round and round. Pull the string outward and let it unravel. Watch it spin and the colors mix!

Lemonade WAR!

Lemonade War Book Unit 

Reading / Economics: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NgjwCHVZ6I0H82dx6z5KGufgA3_5JOS-/view?usp=sharing

Celebrate the end of the school year with lemonade in a bag! Kids explore fractions and measuring, while creating a tasty treat! Recipe is from Education.com.

1 serving:

1/4 lemon, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp sugar

add ingredients to ziploc bag and snap

mix, squish, and squeeze with hands

add an ice cube and a straw

sip!

Also, check out ice cream - it's in the bag!

Marshmallow Kebab Math

Fraction Kebab: Create a marshmallow kebab of fractions! Grab a bag of mini colored marshmallows and have kids stab them onto a wooden skewer. Then, they figure out the fraction for each color. Afterwards, make a graph to represent which color was the most popular.

Place Value Kebab: Don't tell your students what each marshmallow color is worth. Have them choose their marshmallow colors and stab them on their skewer. Then, write the value for each color on the board and have them figure out their number. Is their number even or odd? Who had the largest number? Whose number was the smallest? Did anyone have the same number?

For more marshmallow learning games, check out Marshmallows 101!

Note: You could substitute fruit for marshmallows for a healthier kebab

Lego Roll

Last year I wrote about learning fractions with Legos. To turn this activity into a math station, I made a Lego Roll game. Kids roll a die to determine what color comes next for their fraction tower. After ten rolls, have kids figure out their fractions for each color.

Another Lego math station idea is to write fractions on notecards and have children create the fraction out of Legos (like a fraction museum). Once they've built all of their towers, they can call the teacher over to check.

Heads vs Tails

Kids shake a group of various coins, cupped in both hands, and drop! Then, they compare heads and tails: writing fractions and coin amount. 

Color Mixing Fractions

This idea was inspired by Mama Jenn's Magic Painting / Color Wheel activity. Kids explore primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, while learning fractions! Check out her site for a free printable. Plus, see how you can do this activity with food coloring and paper towels.

Soil Density Column

How much sand, silt, clay, and plant material is in your soil? Integrate science and math with this simple experiment! Kids pour 1/3 of their jar with soil. Then, they add water and stir. Let your jar sit for  at least a day. The longer you let it rest, the better the results! Once the soil separates, have kids figure out the fraction for each of the soil components. Older kids can figure out the percentage.

Visit Soil-Net for full instructions. Click here for a pdf from Soil-Net to go along with the experiment.

Fruit Snack Math

The wrapper tells you how many fruit snacks are in the bag. Estimate how many of each flavor is in your bag before opening it.

Write a fraction for each flavor. Then, graph your flavors. How did your bag compare to your peers? Do you think that the flavors are evenly distributed?

Lay your fruit snacks out an a straight line. Can you find something that is the same length? (measure)

Find a friend and compare your fruit snacks. Who had more cherry? Did you have the same amount of cherry? Compare each flavor using greater than, less than, or equal to signs.

Create a multiplication array with your fruit snacks. Then, practice division. How can you divide your snacks evenly if you shared your bag with your mom and dad?

Write addition and subtraction number sentences: What is the sum of your strawberry and grape (2+3=5)? If you ate all of your orange and lemon, how many fruit snacks would be left (12-5=7)?

Make different patterns with your colors. Did you have any difficulty because of the colors in your bag?

More fruit snack activities:
Fruit by the Foot Ruler - measure by the foot
Chopsticks! - practice place value with swedish fish
Growing Gummy Bear - grow a gummy in water and measure!
Gummy Worms - How long can a gummy worm be stretched?
Fruit Roll Up - Area/Perimeter