Mathematics — Grade 3

Where were you born: A graphing lesson

Students will gather data and graph the results. Lake Norman Elementary's student population has a wide range of native states. Many of the students were born in states other than North Carolina. This activity allows the students to survey each class to see what states are represented in our school. After the survey results have been tallied, students will use the data to create different types of graphs. The class will then compare the graphs and will decide which type of graph represents the information most clearly.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Mathematics)

By Erin Bradfeldt, Joan Milliken, and Kathy Beck.

Temperature graphs

In the following lesson students will locate and record daily high temperatures for several major cities. This data will then be displayed on line graphs. Students will choose one city, and based on its high temperatures, write a paragraph describing appropriate clothing and activities for that location. They will draw a picture of themselves dressed in the clothing and participating in an activity they described.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Mathematics)

By Kaye Clark.

Solid graphing

The students will review solid figures using a baggie of assorted snack mix (cones, cubes, cylinders, and spheres) and will begin a vertical bar graph showing the number of each solid figure in a bag of assorted snack mix.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Mathematics)

By Lisa Fletcher.

PIZZA = "Fractions: Any Way You Slice It!"

During this lesson, students will explore and investigate the relationships among fractions. Students will use paper pizzas divided into fractional parts to compare equivalent fractions. They will see part-whole fractions as fair shares and begin to understand that the parts must be equal.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Computer/Technology Skills and Mathematics)

By Alta Allen.

Nutrition and the media: Cereal box consumerism

This lesson will offer your students the opportunity to explore nutrition and how the media impacts our consumer decisions. Students will design a cereal box and read about how the use of color, slogans, and prizes impacts buyers. This lesson plan is easily adapted for exceptional children and can be expanded and/or adapted to suit your students' needs.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 English Language Arts, Healthful Living, and Mathematics)

By Gloria Simmons.

M&M math

M&M Math provides students with hands-on activities. Students will be sorting objects, comparing whole numbers, writing fractions, performing addition, subtraction, and division problems with the use of manipulatives.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Mathematics)

By Angela Gillie.

Light, camera, action! Shadows?

This lesson will demonstrate how the position of a light source or direction of light and the time of the day will affect the shadow images that are depicted in our environment over a period of time.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Computer/Technology Skills, Mathematics, and Science)

By Alta Allen.

In full bloom

This mini-unit uses the wonderful story of Miss Rumphius by Barbara Clooney. Miss Rumphius travels to faraway places and makes the world more beautiful by planting her favorite seeds. The book sets the stage for activities relating to core curriculum objectives to be implemented into the learning environment, using technology tools and applications to create student products.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 English Language Arts and Science)

By Kay Ball.

Graphs galore

This lesson will allow students to conduct surveys from a selected number of people. Then the students will be able to use this data to create various kinds of graphs. After completion of the graphs, they will analyze their data and then draw conclusions from this data.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Computer/Technology Skills and Mathematics)

By Alta Allen.

Collecting and organizing data

In this lesson students will learn to collect data and organize the data into a chart using computer technology.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Computer/Technology Skills and Mathematics)

By Rochelle Mullis.

Beginning lesson on coordinate grids: First quadrant

Students will investigate the first quadrant of the Cartesian coordinate system. They will use online activities developed by Shodor.org to identify the coordinates of points, or plot specific points. Then students will progress to an activity where they direct a robot through a mine field laid out on the coordinate plane. Permission has been granted for the use of the materials as part of the workshop - "Interactivate Your Bored Math Students" by Shodor Education Foundation, Inc.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Mathematics)

By Bonnie Boaz.

Amazing amaryllis activities

Students will use an amaryllis started from a bulb to explore the growth of the plant, measure, record and compare the growth of the leaves and the flower. They will enter the data on a spreadsheet and convert it into a graph.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Mathematics and Science)

By Mary Rizzo.

Resources on the web

What's your wingspan?

In this lesson, from Science NetLinks, students measure each other's wingspan (armspan) and record and analyze the data. Before doing this lesson, students should have had many opportunities to experiment with the process of measuring and units of measurement. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Mathematics)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

What's the beat?

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students use the average adult's number of heartbeats per minute to predict how many times the heart would beat during various lengths of time. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

What is your favorite?

Fourth in an eight-part series. Students make human line plots and circle graphs, then draw them on paper and use a website to generate them. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

What is the best chip?

In this lesson, from Illuminations, students use data analysis to seek answers to the types of questions often posed by consumer agencies and people who work in sales and marketing. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

What counties are your favorite?

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students use their knowledge to gather data on ten of their favorite counties (places they might like to live, visit, etc.) within a specific state. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

What can data tell us?

In this Science NetLinks lesson, students analyze collections of both their own data and that of others. They create data distributions in order to determine the highest, lowest, and middle values, as well as pile ups and gaps, for a particular set of data. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Weather watchers

In this lesson, from Illuminations, students collect and analyze data about the weather and learn to make a stem-and-leaf plot. They spend a month collecting data on high and low temperatures and then work in groups to determine how best to display their data. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Water, water

In this lesson, from Illuminations, students compare the amount of water they use in daily life with the amount allotted for each person each day on a Space Shuttle. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics