Monday, May 28, 2012

Urban Myth or Truth: Do Teddy Grahams Weigh a Gram?


In our study of measurement (and while shopping for after school snacks for my own 2 kids), I started thinking about this.  So, being that they were on sale and the kids always enjoyed when we did "snack math", I grabbed two boxes of the individual pouches to use the next week at school.


Needless to say, my kids were excited.  They told me they felt like "math detectives"!  We grabbed our balance scale, opened a pack, selected a gram weight and a teddy...and voila!  One teddy did INDEED weigh 1 gram!  

We were thrilled! So, we added 5 teddy grams and a 5 gram weight......but wait, it didn't quite add up.  We actually had to add one more gram weight....so 5 teddies weighed 6 grams!  Hmmm. 

My ever enterprising students then suggested maybe they weigh a little more than a gram.  We then looked at the packaging and saw that there were 24 teddies in each pack, but the bag stated it weighed 28 grams.  Curiosier and curiosier.  


Needless to say, we had a fun time in each group looking at the teddies (and enjoying their own bag afterwards!).  It was an interesting experiment that I keep telling myself I need to write up....but time does not seem to be my friend lately. :(  Ah well.  Wanted to share the idea so at least you can use it this year or the next!  I felt it even had my lowest kids putting on their thinking caps and really diving into it!

Don't forget about the linky party going on over at Enriching Kinders!  You don't have to be a Kindergarten teacher to participate! Actually, anyone, from PK-4th can add their thoughts!  Be sure to link up!  Thanks for those that already have! :)

3 comments:

Lisa R. said...

What a great inquiry activity! I bet your kids were so excited. :) Thanks for sharing!

Lisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure

luckeyfrog said...

Oh my goodness... how have I never thought of this? What a GREAT idea! I bet your students loved it, and thinking about what it meant when 5 Teddy Grahams equaled 6 grams was such FANTASTIC critical thinking! Thank you for sharing it!

Jenny
Luckeyfrog's Lilypad

Anonymous said...

I like and I'm borrowing the snack math idea.I’m your newest follower. Please check out my blog if you get a chance. Calling Plays in 2nd Grade.

Shanell

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