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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Bearly estimating

This is a lesson which allows students to explore with estimation in cooperative learning groups.

A lesson plan for grade 1 Mathematics

By Melissa Geiser

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Learning outcomes

Students will fine tune estimating skills and practice working in a cooperative group situation.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

40 minutes

Materials/resources

Technology resources

If desired, worksheet could be made into an overhead and reviewed using overhead projector.

Pre-activities

  • Class discussion on what we do when we estimate. Why is it different from counting?
  • Practice estimating with a large jar of bears as a class.
  • Explain to students that they will be breaking into groups and estimating amounts of teddy bears in jars as you had just practiced.

Activities

  1. Break students into groups of 4-6 students.
  2. Pass out estimating worksheet (attachment).
  3. Discuss how worksheet is set up like a graph.
  4. Discuss the graph column titled jar or cup #.
  5. Show students that all of the jars or cups are numbered. Explain that it is important for all students to first fill in this column after their group has received a jar. (This is done because the jars are rotated between groups and are presented to each group in a different order.)
  6. Discuss the other columns of their graph or estimating worksheet and how to fill them in. (Maybe fill in one on overhead as example.)
  7. Remind children to estimate and not actually count. It is alright to make mistakes when estimating.
  8. Pass out jars to groups and begin estimating.
  9. Give all groups one to two minutes.
  10. Then switch jars every one to two minutes until all jars have been reviewed.
  11. Review results as a class and ask for volunteers to count actual amount in each jar and complete graph together.
  12. Discuss what students learned and experienced while working in groups.

Assessment

Collect graphs or estimating worksheets and observe which students appeared to have a grasp of estimation by reviewing their individual results.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

Mathematics (2004)

Grade 1

  • Goal 1: Number and Operations - The learner will read, write, and model whole numbers through 99 and compute with whole numbers.
    • Objective 1.01: Develop number sense for whole numbers through 99.
      • Connect the model, number word, and number using a variety of representations.
      • Use efficient strategies to count the number of objects in a set.
      • Read and write numbers.
      • Compare and order sets and numbers.
      • Build understanding of place value (ones, tens).
      • Estimate quantities fewer than or equal to 100.
      • Recognize equivalence in sets and numbers 1-99.
  • Goal 4: Data Analysis and Probability - The learner will understand and use data and simple probability concepts.
    • Objective 4.01: Collect, organize, describe and display data using line plots and tallies.

  • Common Core State Standards

    • Mathematics (2010)

      • Grade 1

        • Measurement & Data
          • 1.MD.4 Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another.