Smathing Pumpkins

In Sky we do math in different ways at different times of day. It doesn't just happen in Math Group. It is a big part of what we call "S'math," science and math together. We draw a lot of our activities from AIMS Education Foundation (http://www.aimsedu.org/). AIMS stands for Activities Integrating Math & Science. We also draw on other sources, and we like to draw in any themes we are pursuing as well as student interests.

Last year we did an AIMS activity about apples. This year I thought I'd put a twist on it and do it with mini-pumpkins. After dividing into groups of 3 (at least one boy, at least one girl, at least one old-timer, at least one new-timer) we worked with the mini-pumpkins. First we looked at them with our "scientist's eye," observing closely and noticing details. Each student drew the group's pumpkin, using observation skills. Then they came up with estimates for how many teddy bear counters they thought it would take to balance the pumpkin in a scale. Once estimates were done, each group worked together to weigh the pumpkin and record how many teddy bear counters it took.

The last part of the activity was to think about the distance around the pumpkin, the circumference. Students estimated how many teddy bear counters would make a train as long as a string that went around the pumpkin in its fattest part. They also estimated how many unifix cubes would make a train that long. Then they worked together to cut a string that went around the pumpkin and to do the actual measurements and recording.

Gone Fishin'

In S'math we are doing an activity from AIMS Education Foundation (Activities Integrating Math & Science) that helps show the effects of camouflage. Half the students have done the activity and the other half will do it next week.

Students "fish" for paper fish that are spread out on a construction paper ocean. There are equal numbers of four colors of fish: red, white, blue (the same color as the "ocean"), and black. Teams of students take turns fishing and record their results. Then the whole group meets together to share the class results. We put them on a big chart on the chalkboard so that we can easily compare the number of fish caught. Inevitably either the red or white fish are caught the most. Usually the blue is caught the least, though a few times black has come in last in number caught. I don't tell the students ahead of time that this is a camouflage activity. It prompts some "aha" moments as the students consider why we get the results we do.

I have learned to trust the activity and not get worried if one team's results are skewed because black or blue is a favorite color of some of the fishers. Though I tell the kids not to try to pick up certain colors, a few will do that. Fortunately the rest of the group balances them out. (Or maybe it's the kids who like white and red best!)