I always like to make math relevant, so I make it a point to come up with projects that tie in the skill we have learned to a real-world situation. These typically become projects that take multiple days to complete. Some tasks are group assignments, while others are individual assignments. In each case, my students have enjoyed the process and told me that this was not “math.” At the conclusion of our angles unit, students had to create a Christmas tree or Christmas present by following directions and correctly drawing angles with their protractor. At the end of our multiplication and division unit, students had to create a menu and guest lists for a Thanksgiving Dinner party. They needed to make sure that they purchased enough food so that everyone could eat.
These real world activities help students see why the math they are learning matters, and it makes them more engaged in the learning process. I also have less behavior issues when I tie the skills into their every day (or future) lives.
- Example: Olympics Review Activity (Place Value)
- Example: Texas Missions Review Activity (Area and Perimeter)
- Example: Thanksgiving Project (Multiplication and Division Skills)
- Example: Christmas Tree Project (Drawing and Measuring Angles)
- Example: Making Big Purchases in the Real World Activity (Adding Decimals)
- Black History Timeline (Fraction and Decimal Equivalence)
- Stock market (Addition, Subtraction, and Multiplication of Decimals)
