Activity Purpose: (1)
The purpose of this generative activity
is to explore the concepts of addition and introduce perimeter in a small
group environment that enables students to derive more than one solution.
Grade Level:
First (3)
Student Prerequisites:
Counting Ability (2)
Activity Duration:
One/Two Day Activity (12)
Materials: (9)
Unifix Cubes in Assorted Colors
"Unifix-sized" graph paper
Notebook paper
Lesson Instructions/Description:
(6)
The class will be divided into small groups (4 to 5 students). Each student will receive five sheets of "cube" graph paper. Each group will have 2 sets of unifix cubes in two different colors accessible at their desks.
The students will each shade in a certain number of cubes on the sheet of graph paper. Using the two different colored unifix cubes, the student will place a cube on each individual shaded cube. The students will then count the cubes of each color. With the numbers derived, the student will write an addition sentence.
Example:
A student counts 3 black cubes and 2 red cubes. The student will write:
3 + 2 = 5. [The students can count the cubes to arrive at the sum.]
Each student will repeat the shading and addition with each sheet of graph paper they have. (5 sheets of graph paper = 5 different shapes)
The teacher can then ask the students to count how many sides they can see as they "walk" around their given shape. [This part of the activity will hint at the concept of perimeter but will involve only counting the cube faces/sides for now.]
The students can then record their information at their desk. Or, by groups, the teacher can record results on an overhead to compare answers. A class discussion about which shapes had the most faces, or largest perimeter could then take place. (8) (10) (11)
Cube "A" below is an example
of the cube size that would make up the "unifix-sized graph paper".
More cubes would be available on the actual sheet to enable a wider variety
of shapes to be explored.
Cube "B" represents a typical
solution a student might derive for his/her shaded shape. The student would
then place unifix cubes on each shaded region and add the colored cubes.
The black circles represent the marked sides as the student "walked
around" the shape to discover the shape's perimeter. The student would
then record the sum of the unifix cubes,7, and then record the shapes' perimeter,
16. (7) (11)
Follow-up/Extra Activities:
(13)
The teacher can organize a number of
rounds for the groups to take part in while doing the activity. Each group
can compete for the largest number of shapes, largest perimeter, or most
creative shape.
In order to keep students from collapsing
the possible solution to a few easy ones, the teacher can set limits on
the number of cubes that are shaded. [i.e., the student must shade more
than two cubes.] (15)
Make it Fun!
Added enjoyment can be fulfilled with
this activity by using crayolas, map pencils or markers to shade in the
different shapes on the graph paper. Don't be afraid to be creative!