M&Ms are the perfect product to use when teaching students about distribution. Give groups of students unopened bags of M&Ms. Have them record the type and size of their bag, and then separate the candies by color, writing their findings on a chart. Teach them to use calculators to figure out the percentage per color in each bag.
Red and green M&Ms are naturals for making a fun craft during an apple unit. Give each student a square of plastic wrap. Let them fill the center of the square with red or green candies and gather the ends up. The loose ends can be twisted into a stem shape and wrapped with green florist's tape. Have students cut leaves from construction paper and tape to the stems.
A bowl of M&Ms provides the basis for a fun ice breaker game to use in the classroom or at a party. Have each child take a handful of candies, but do not let them eat them yet. Let them know that each candy color refers to a different question, such as "What is your favorite color?" or "What is your favorite hobby?" Go around the circle of students, and have each student give the answer for the color that his or her chosen color represents. So, if the student chooses three red M&Ms, he or she might have to name three favorite hobbies.
Prediction and hypothesizing are important science skills that all students need to learn. M&Ms make the lesson exciting. Present your class with a M&M candies in a various-sized bags, and ask them to make their best guess as to how many are in each bag. Teach them about making educated guesses. Give a reward to the student that comes closest to guessing the right number for each bag.