The first few weeks of school are long but a fun time of developing relationships with your new class. If you are looking for a real-world math project to use in your classroom, then continue reading to learn more about this fun and engaging addition and subtraction activity.
Explain the Addition and Subtraction Math Project Challenge
Tell students they are going to create their PERFECT classroom. Share the budget they need to follow. For third grade, I suggest $1000 since the standard 3.NBT.A.2 is fluently adding and subtracting within 1000. Feel free to change the budget if you’re a 4th or 5th grade teacher to match your standards. For example a 4th grade teacher could use a budget of 100,000 and a 5th grade teacher could include decimals not just whole numbers.
Create the Catalog for the Math Project
Next decide on your 4-6 categories. You can complete this ahead of time or create it as a class listing out the items on chart paper. Example categories are seating options, decorations, technology and ect.
Let Students get to Work
I suggest letting students complete this activity independently. Encourage students to show their work on scrap paper before you let them wrap up the activity by drawing their perfect classroom.
Gather Informal Data While Students Work
Not only will you learn about their personalities and what they value but you can also monitor and gather data about students’ understanding without the pressure of a formal assessment.
Let Students Share Their Addition and Subtraction Math Projects
Decide how you want students to share. You could pair students up and let them share their perfect classroom with a partner or call one student at a time to the front to project their budget work and picture.
Great for the Back-to-School Season!
Follow the steps above with your class or if you are looking for something no prep/print and go style check out the Perfect Classroom Project in my TPT shop.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Free Rounding Math Center Games – Teaching at the Oaks
How to Organize Your Teacher Led Math Center – Teaching at the Oaks
Leave a Reply