Fish and Airplanes Help Students Learn Math and Science at School 12

 
The math concept “greater than and less than,” or “> and <” can be difficult for some students to grasp.  Under the direction of Art PIR Sandler, students in Ms. Marren’s grade 2 class each designed their own fish using Styrofoam trays (recycled from the cafeteria,) pens and crayons.  Each fish was unique, but they all had one thing in common:  gaping mouths with sharp teeth!  The fish on one side of the tray represented “greater than” while the one on the other side represented “less than.” 

Students then worked in pairs, using their fish to compare two sets of objects. 
(Special note:  alternatively this lesson can be done outside in the schoolyard with chalk on blacktop.)


 
How does a scientist make observations and collect data to explore scientific concepts? Mr. Anderson’s grade 5 explored this concept by determining the speed of paper airplanes.  Using thin translucent paper, students made their planes by first creating symmetrical designs using pencils, markers, and crayons, which they transferred to their airplanes.  




Working in pairs, students went into the hallway, where meter sticks had been placed on the floor to mark off distance.  They flew their planes and used stopwatches to determine the number of seconds from launch to landing, recording their findings.  By dividing the distance the planes flew by the number of seconds the flights took, the students were able to determine the speed of each plane.

Each student then had the opportunity to make a second plane, using a different folding style, to see if he or she could create a faster plane.  This part of the lesson illustrates how scientists revise, refine, and extend their knowledge, based upon observed results.