LEARN NC

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

North Carolina Numerals

Students will design their own numeric system using North Carolina state symbols.

A lesson plan for grade 4 Mathematics and Social Studies

By Wendy White

Learn more

Related pages

  • Tree-ring dating: In their study of dendrochronology, students use activity sheets and a discussion to apply principles of dendrochronology to determine a tree's age and to recognize climatic variation. They will also analyze and experience how archaeologists can sometimes use tree rings to date archaeological evidence and study past climates.
  • Experimental archaeology: Making cordage: Students will make cordage and use an activity sheet to experience a technique and skill that ancient Native Americans in North Carolina needed for everyday life. They will also compute the amount of time and materials that might have been required to make cordage and construct a scientific inquiry to study the contents of an archaeological site.
  • Women's ACC Basketball Tournament School Day Curriculum: Four collections of basketball-based units for grades K–8 teach all areas of the curriculum through the lens of the 2007 Women's ACC basketball tournament.

Related topics

Legal

This page copyright ©2008. Terms of use

Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • learn how to use non-numeric symbols to represent numbers.
  • use non-numeric symbols to make number sentences.
  • identify North Carolina state symbols.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

40 Minutes

Materials/resources

Pencil
Notebook Paper
White construction paper
Colored pencils/Crayons
Chart of NC state symbols (optional)

Technology resources

None

Pre-activities

Students will need to study Roman and/or Egyptian numerals and how ancient cultures used non-numeric symbols to represent numbers.

Activities

  1. Review number systems such as Roman numerals with students. Discuss how people long ago used non-numeric symbols to represent numbers. Review the state symbols with students. Explain to students that they will develop their own number system using any of the North Carolina symbols that they choose.
  2. Students will decide what they want each symbol to represent. (ex. cardinal=10) Have students practice on notebook paper first. After students have their symbols and what they represent, they will need a sheet of white construction paper to make a key. The key will be a rectangular box at the top of their page with their drawings and numbers.
  3. Below their key, students will give examples of numerals and what they represent. (two cardinals=20) They also may make number sentences with their symbols. (cardinal+cardinal+cardinal=30) After students have designed several examples, they will make up problems for their classmates to solve.
  4. (Optional) Finished products may be laminated so students can use water-based markers to solve problems. This allows students to make a game-like board that can be exchanged with other classmates--see attachments.

Assessment

The students’ numeric systems will be evaluated with regards to two main criteria. First, each student will have made a system using a state symbol with a numeric representation (i.e. pine tree=1). Second, this non-numeric representation will be correctly used to make numerals or number sentences. The assessment of the goals taught will be based upon the students’ numerals or number sentences correctly corresponding to the symbols they designed. An additional informal evaluation will come as students exchange and solve each other’s problems.

Supplemental information

Attachment:
North Carolina numerals: jpg | gif

Related websites

N/A

Comments

This lesson just came to me one day as we were studying Roman and Egyptian numerals. I thought this lesson would be a great way to integrate math and social studies. My students really enjoyed using the state symbols to make their numerals and at the same time reinforced their knowledge of our state symbols.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Social Studies (2003)

Grade 4

  • Goal 3: The learner will trace the history of colonization in North Carolina and evaluate its significance for diverse people's ideas.
    • Objective 3.02: Identify people, symbols, events, and documents associated with North Carolina's history.

Mathematics (2004)

Grade 4

  • Goal 1: Number and Operations - The learner will read, write, model, and compute with non-negative rational numbers.
    • Objective 1.01: Develop number sense for rational numbers 0.01 through 99,999.
      • Connect model, number word, and number using a variety of representations.
      • Build understanding of place value (hundredths through ten thousands).
      • Compare and order rational numbers.
      • Make estimates of rational numbers in appropriate situations.
    • Objective 1.05: Develop flexibility in solving problems by selecting strategies and using mental computation, estimation, calculators or computers, and paper and pencil.