It is finally warm in the northern part of the U.S. and I want to bring my junior high students outside for math activities. Can anyone think of simple adding, subtract or fun activities we can do outside. Thanks
Re: outdoor math activities
Hmmm… measure out 5’ x 5’ squares take samples of the numbers of dandelions in a given square? (you could also introduce the concept of multiplication that way… a 5 x 1, 5 x 2, 5 x 3, 5 x 4 and 5 x 5 square — count and see how many 1 x 1 squares are in each of those…)
This may not be very inspirational, but it is timely with next week being Earth Week! One of our Gr. 8 teachers took her class to a local park last week where they picked up garbage (they did take surgical gloves). They did sorting and are now doing every kind of graphing imaginable using the data. None of the kids minded doing it - especially since it was 35o with the humidex here in Toronto - that’s well over 90o in American terms - and the school was unbearably hot. (It’s going down to freezing tonight …)
Another couple of ideas: do some probability things having students trying for shots at the basketball hoop at different specified angles; measure the school, the yard, the perimeter of the property - everything!- and make a scale model as a class project.
Isn’t it great to have shed the winter clothing!