Main Subject Area: Mathematics
Duration of Lesson:
Using Amy Axelrod's "Pigs Will Be Pigs: Fun with Math and Money" as a reference, students calculate how much money the pigs find and spend in the book. Then they determine how else to spend the money at a restaurant and create posters showing their menu orders.
Additional Subject Area Standard(s):
To achieve the standard of whole number computation, students will construct number meanings through real-world experiences and the use of physical materials; understand our numeration system by relating counting, grouping, and place value concepts; interpret the multiple uses of numbers encountered in the real world; model, explain, and develop reasonable proficiency with basic facts and algorithms; use a variety of mental computation and estimation techniques; use calculators in appropriate computational situations; and select and use computation techniques appropriate to specific problems and determine whether the results are reasonable.
A copy of the book "Pigs Will Be Pigs: Fun with Math and Money" by Amy Axelrod, poster paper, pencils and pens, manipulatives (play or real dollars and coins), and calculators.
Coins Used in Lesson:
1. Read "Pigs Will be Pigs" aloud to your students.
2. Break the class into groups of four. Tell students that you are going to reread the book, and that their challenge is to determine just how much money the pigs found and spent. Hand out manipulatives and/or calculators.
3. Reread the story, pausing as needed so students can calculate the amount of money the pigs found as well as their final restaurant bill.
4. As a class, ask the groups to share their calculations for how much money the pigs had left after their meal. Have them explain the strategies they used to determine their answers.
5. Using the menu included in the book, have each group place a different order for its table - one that satisfies everyone and also stays within the available funds. Then have the groups create a poster showing what they ordered, the total cost of their meal, and the amount of money they have left over.
6. Share the posters with the class.
Assessment / Evaluation:
Were the students able to successfully calculate the amount of money the pigs found and spent? To judge the merits of the poster, use a standard rubric that includes any criteria set by you or the students at the start of the activity.
Differentiated Learning Options:
Have students create and design their own menu for a restaurant, using desktop-publishing software, if available.