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Morgan Hill Math Mardi Gras
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Elementary School Math Fest
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Board Basics
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Booth Interaction
1. Time Flies (Telling Time): Students will review the concept of hour,
half hour, and quarter hour, and demonstrate the concept by reading
and setting different times on individual clocks. Those who want to
can complete a worksheet extending the activity with word problems
and earn a black ribbon.
2. Sarah’s Super Store (Money): Students take turns playing customer
and shopkeeper buying items and making change. Black ribbon
worksheet involves word problems.
3. Polydrons and 3-D Geometry (Geometry): Students use a durable
hard plastic manipulative called Polydrons to create many different
three-dimensional objects. The black ribbon activity will require
students to classify given objects by determining the number of
vertices, edges, and faces.
4. Pattern Puzzles (patterns and algebraic reasoning): Students are given 3 stages of a
certain pattern (demonstrated in a hands-on manner with mulitifix cubes) and are asked to
create the next stage of the pattern with the cubes. The black ribbon activity is a
worksheet with pictures of patterns and students are asked to draw the next figure in the
pattern and describe the pattern in words.
5. List It (Counting/creating organized lists): Students learn to list combinations to solve
problems. An introductory problem has the students look at the possible number of
sandwich combos. (There are choices for different breads, meats, etc.) The black ribbon
activity requires students to create a list of possible Saturday fun possibilities.
6. Jumping Jellybeans (Estimation): This booth has students use estimation through the
use of empty containers to determine the number of jellybeans, bubble gum pieces and
gumballs contained in larger amounts. The black ribbon activity requires using math
calculations to come up with estimates.
7. Measure Up (Measurement): Students use rulers to measure objects to earn
the colorful ribbon. They earn a black ribbon by completing a more challenging
set of measurements on a worksheet.
8. What’s My Area? (Area): Students use geoboards to find areas of different
shapes that are combinations of rectangles and triangles. They earn a black
ribbon by creating shape with a given area. (i.e. create a shape on grid paper
that has an area of 5 square units.)
9. Picture Parts (fractions): Students are given figures made out of pattern
blocks and are asked to determine the fraction of the whole that is made up of
a certain color. (A figure may contain blue rhombuses and green triangles and
students will determine what fraction of the figure is green). The black ribbon
is earned by creating figures with a given fraction of a given color. (i.e. create a
figure that is ¼ red.)
10. Terrific Tiles—need description
Equipment List
 Multi-link cubes. Make the five different pattern sets
shown in the pictures below. The first one you will use
as an example with the kids. Each kid will then get one
of the other sets as their question to complete.
 2 open tubs of multi-link cubes.
 Black bead worksheet (note: does not require cubes).
 Pattern block to be used as “Example”:
 Pattern block problem #1 (red pattern):
 Pattern block problem #2 (H pattern):
 Pattern block problem #3 (rectangles):
 Pattern block problem #4 (stairs):
4 kids sit down at a time
Say “First we are going to do a problem together, then I am going to give you
each your own problem.”
“Let’s look at this pattern of blocks.” (show them the 3 stairsteps). “Here’s the
first one.” (hold up the first one). Now hold up the 2nd one. “How did I get
from the 1st one to this one? It looks to me like I took the first one and just
added another color, like a set of stairs.” Hold up the 3rd one. “Can anybody tell
me what I did to make the third one?” (that’s right, I added another color, or set
of stairs). “Now I would like everybody to build the next set of blocks in the
pattern.”
(Note which kids do this with ease and which ones struggle, so that, in the next
step, you can give the kids who excel the harder problem and the kids who
struggle the easier problem.)
“Okay, now I am going to give you each your own problem. First figure out
what the pattern is, then make the next set of blocks in that pattern.” (Give
each kid just one set of blocks. Note that the easiest is the red pattern, the
hardest is 3D stairs). Help kids as needed.
Ask the kid if they want the Challenge Black Bead worksheet. If so, give it to
them and tell them to bring it over to the black bead table.
Answer 3 out of 4 questions correctly to earn black beads.
Finish the pattern, and then describe the pattern.
1.
1
3
5
7
____
Description______________________________________________
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2.
1
4
9
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Description______________________________________________
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http://orion.math.iastate.edu/mathnight/
It is from the Iowa State website and they 20 different “modules”: “selfcontained math activity stations, complete with big tri-fold displays and
exploration questions and exercises.” I have attached a pdf that describes
some of the practical aspects of their math night, but probably what is more
interesting is the list of modules that they offer.
http://www.cmc-math.org/activities/math_festival.html
This is the CMC Mathematics Festival, which lasts 6 hours and costs $2000 plus
travel expenses. The brochure refers to dates in 2009-2010, but their doesn’t
seem to be an update.
http://lawrencehallofscience.org/programs_for_schools/programs/festivals
They have 3 choices: Art of Math, Math Around the World and Build It!.
Programs are from K-6th graders, cost is approximately $1000, plus travel
fees.