REAL LIFE MATH: Classroom activities
  
  Author: Paul 

  Procedure:

  1) Daily Temprature: 

        First of all we check the temperature each day.  We note what
        it was the previous day (I have a large thermometer with
        a ribbon).  Then we decide if it is warmer or cooler; then how
        much warmer or cooler.  When there is a large difference in
        the numbers we discuss various strategies for telling how
        much difference there is other than counting on fingers.

  2) Recycling:

        We also recycle aluminum cans in our classroom.  We have a big
        graph that we work on all year.  There is a column for each month.
        I take the cans whenever my trunk is full--usually at least once
        a week.

        The following day I tell the class how many pounds we had. We
        graph the pounds by tens. If we had 34 pounds, for example,
        they would tell me we had 3 tens.  We would put three big dots
        (all the same color) on the graph.  We had 4 ones so we would
        put 4 tally marks on the board.  They are not erased (I do this
        at one end of my chalkboard).

        The next time we continue to add to the tens and ones.  When we
        have ten tally marks, we erase the 10 marks and had a ten to
        the chart.  We predict how many pounds we will get that month,
        which month will have the most pounds, which will have the
        fewest, and why.

        We plan what we will buy for the classroom with the money.  That
        is not a big issue because I usually save for something large--
        like a TV, VCR, color printer for the computer, etc. but sometimes
        we buy books or small things for the room.  Occasionally we have
        a pizza party.  I let them know that their cans paid for these
        things.

        They have to stomp the cans during their recess so this is a 
        commitment on their part, too.

  3) Sometimes we fix foods.

  4) When we read the Weekly Reader and a date is mentioned, we subtract
  to see how long ago the event happened.

  TEACHER'S NOTE: Use your imagination--you can use math all day long
  in every subject.  By doing this, you are also integrating the
  curriculum.

  Sing songs to go with the unit you are teaching, do art projects to go
  with the units.  Aims has many ways to integrate science and math into
  all kinds of units.  See if your school has the AIMS books with ideas.
  If not see if they will order them.  I think they are about $12.00 each.
  Check on their web site.

  See how much math you can do every time you read a story to the class.
  You will be amazed at the opportunities that crop up.