Activities for Estimating Sums & Differentiated Instruction
Estimating sums has students making a clever guess on a total, while the process of differentiated instruction helps a teacher pinpoint a student's specific learning needs and methods. Students, especially those in lower grades, often enjoy doing activities where the math can be seen instead of just equations on paper. Estimating sums and differentiated instruction can be educational, as well as interesting for students when teachers use hands-on learning activities.
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Count By Twos
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To help students estimate the sum of a group of objects, try placing some cubes into a jar or see-through container. Have the students, collectively or in small groups, try to estimate the total amount of cubes in the container. Students should write down the estimates, then be asked to find the actual sum of cubes. Instead of counting the cubes one at a time, students should count the cubes two at a time. Once the students have the actual sum, that number should also be recorded on the paper with the estimate. This also could be used to practice counting by threes, fives and tens.
Differentiated Dice
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Each student learns differently, and using differentiated instruction helps a student learn about a specific topic through her own understanding and methods. Make a pair of dice out of construction or card stock paper. On the dice, place six different shapes in different colors to represent a math equation. Students will then take turns rolling the dice, and will be given the corresponding equation. Have the student solve the equation, and record her method of coming up with an estimated sum and actual sum. Ask her to be in-depth on how she reached the solution, explaining every step.
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Estimating Change
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Students learning to count money may benefit from knowing how to roughly estimate a pocketful of change just from the size of each coin. Pass out a small amount of play change to students, then have each student look the change over without adding up the total sum. Have each student record this estimate down, and what the coins given are, such as how many quarters, dimes, pennies and nickles. Once both are recorded, have the students add up the exact amount of change. Lastly, have the students find out the difference from estimate to actual sum.
Differentiated Tree
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Allowing a student to learn and understand equations in his own method helps him feel confident in his problem solving techniques. Make a tree out of brown and green paper. Take red paper and make apple die-cuts, writing down an equation on each apple. Stick the apples onto the tree, then have each student pick an apple. The students will then solve the equation on the chosen apple, and record each step used to come to the solution. Have students be in-depth on the steps used, so the entire class can understand how he came to the solution for his chosen equation.
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