In groups or individually, students create a cartoon based on a mathematical concept from a recent unit. Students draw a comic strip based on a concept up to 10 panels with clearly drawn characters, an explanation of a math technique, concept or rule, and they include some elements of humor, irony or drama in the cartoon. For example, students create a masked hero who catches bank robbers, adding and subtracting money sums throughout the piece as well as including perimeter of buildings, measuring the size of rescue jumps in feet. Each panel creates the cartoon's story as well as explains how to calculate the mathematical problem. This has the potential for students to combine math with their favorite characters, such as superheroes or Saturday morning cartoon show favorites.
Survey projects get students out of the classroom and asking questions about important topics. The teacher asks students to prepare questions to ask students and teachers in the cafeteria or at recess. These questions range from what foods kids want in the cafeteria to what colors they want the lockers to be, or what sports what they love the most. Then, students create graphs based on the surveys, such as line, bar or circle, that display the information. Students also may write out a report on the data collected with percentages.
The $1 million idea involves all the students in the class, as individuals or separate groups, planning and choosing a theme to spend $1 million. The students then organize the project around ideas, such as a new children's play center, community service building or amusement park. The students create a budget for the project to manage the number of resources and supplies, then write a report about how they would spent the $1 million. The report can be one or two paragraphs explaining the reasons behind the spending, or teachers can require the students to answer questions, such as what resources cost the most and why were they necessary. This project potentially shows students the value of money, as well as adding and subtracting, and gets them involved in business or community issues. Extra points may be given for students who research community issues or try to solve an environmental problem with the project.
Students design a 2-D dream house consisting of several shapes, with windows and doors. The students then draw the dream house using a ruler in centimeters, creating bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen and living room. After drawing the house, the students calculate the perimeter and area of each window and door, then convert centimeters to millimeters, noting each dimension in a drafting fashion. Students then neatly color and add additional features, such as lawn or cars. This project incorporates fourth-grade math involving use of perimeter and area, as well as geometric shapes and architectural design.