Math Question- What is a Ton?

We had our daily story problem about an elephant eating and how many kilograms was it. When we found the answer and my student said, "That is a ton!".
 I asked, "Is it?"
Student, "Is it what?"
Me: "Is that many kilograms a ton?"
Student: "I don't know."
Me: "What is a ton?"
Students (all 3):"I don't know."
Me: "Hop on the computer and find out."
Students: "How?"
Me: "Google it."
Students go to computer and all find the answer on different websites. (2000 lbs)
Me: "Do we know how many pounds the elephant ate?"
Students: "No"
Me: "How can we convert kilograms to pounds?"
Students: "I don't know."
Me: "Go find out."
Student go back to computers and find out how to convert lbs to kilograms (22 lbs=1 kilogram)
Me: "Okay walk me through the process of finding out how many pounds of food that is (pointing to the kilogram answer)."
Students walk me through the problem
Me: "So, is it a ton?"
Student: "Yes but..."
Other Student: "Don't say anything!"

My students make me smile.

Student Comments on Math

 A secret note left for me! Someone loves Math.

Why we borrow- A great explaination via showme

Thank you Sam!!

Math Skills Create your own problems

When students can create their own questions...then the learning can begin!!!

Brownie Fractions

My wonderful math students were given a task to help me figure out how to make brownies in the correct size pan. I had 2 recipes. One made only a 8 X 8 pan of brownies and we wanted a 9 X 13 pan. My other recipe was for a 9 X 13 pan but we were unsure if we would like it. We didn't want a big pan if the brownies were not good so we wanted to make a 8 X 8 pan.

Our mission:
Recipe 1: Change our ingredients from a whole batch to a half
Recipe 2: Change our ingredients to double a batch.

The students helped each other figure out how to divide a cup and half flour.

We had a discussion about changing the directions also. How if you double a 300 degree oven to 600 degrees...our brownies would be charred!

Using the students recipes I made chocolate brownies and orange brownies. We thought it was "weird" that brownies would be called brownies and not be brown. Both brownies were a hit.

Isometric Paper and the Brain

Building independent thinking is a challenge for students who have years of waiting to be told the answer. Or worse, students who just guess because "It is too hard." This activity was to review 3 dimensional shapes and get the brain working.

Simple instructions where given after we discussed how to use isometric paper to create towers and shapes.
Students were given no teacher support other than words of encouragement.

A whole new way of looking at how to create 20!! This student used blocks first then drew what she saw.

This student used paper first..after a couple of attempts drew the shape he wanted and then created his block tower.

This student used blocks first then drew what he saw.

This lesson turned out to be more about:

The many different ways that things can be done!