Art projects are best suited for teaching geometry concepts such as symmetry and relationships between various two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. For instance, students may learn what shapes are suitable for tessellations by creating a wallpaper design with repeated patterns or creating polyhedra sculptures with faces of different shapes. Students can also learn concepts such as probability and permutations and combinations through art activities. For example, they can use beads to create patterns and explore how many ways they can arrange different colored beads.
Projects that kids can eat at the end are bound to be popular with elementary level kids. If they learn some math in the bargain, all the better. Use snacks with small identical pieces, such as M&Ms, for activities like counting and sorting by color or for graphing. Use treats with varying sizes, such as gummy worms, to practice measurement as well as for data analysis. Younger children also love cooking. Baking brownies or cupcakes can provide the opportunity to learn fractions and capacity measurements.
Build math projects around toys and games that most elementary age children love. Utilize toy cars or dinosaurs for measuring and sorting activities. There are many free websites that let children play a variety of games ranging from simple multiplication practice to solving complicated puzzles. Many board games available on the market help kids learn math concepts such as basic operations, fractions and money.
Young children love being the focus of any activity. Structure math projects around the numbers in a child's life such as his body measurements, his age and date of birth, r the population of his city or state. Students can practice money transactions by holding a class craft fair, for example, where they buy and sell things the class has made. Build other projects around data collection, such as keeping a record of the high temperature everyday or surveying the class for their snack preferences.