TITLE: M&M MATH
AUTHOR: Martha Adams, Jefferson Elem., Everett, WA
GRADE LEVEL: 1-6
OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE: This is a fun math activity using M&M
cookies that are prepared ahead by the teacher or that the students
plan for and make the day before. Students munch their way through
the cookie keeping a tally of how many M&M's are found in each
color. Then a teacher designed math worksheet is completed that
reviews any math concepts desired. I enjoy this activity around
Halloween calling the cookies M&M Monster Cookies.
OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. Plan and make the M&M cookies.
2. Tally M&M's by color while eating cookie.
3. Complete worksheet using math skills.
RESOURCES:
M&M Cookies (recipe below); teacher designed worksheet
M&M Monster Cookies*
1 c. butter l 1/2 t. vanilla
2 1/4 c. peanut butter 3 t. soda
2 c. sugar 9 c. uncooked rolled oats
2 1/4 c. packed brown sugar 4 c. M&M candies
6 eggs
1 1/2 t. light corn syrup
Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add
eggs; beat well. Stir in corn syrup, vanilla, and soda. Add rolled
oats and M&M candies; mix thoroughly. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto
ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.
YIELD: about 10 dozen NOTE: The recipe requires no flour.
* For a class of 30, I use 1/2 this recipe and make each cookie
about TWO TABLESPOONFULS in size yielding just under 3 dozen
cookies. The baking time will need to be slightly longer for the
larger size cookie. Adding more M&M candies before baking
increases the fun of the math activity.
ACTIVITIES:
1. Plan with students for cookie making. Ingredients, utensils, and
cooking source need to be planned for.
2. Make and bake cookies.
3. Give each student a cookie and a worksheet. The worksheet
should be designed based on skill level of child. For young students,
a tally and simple addition may be sufficient. Examples for older
students:
____# red x 236 = ________
14,695 - 9,675 = _______ x _____# brown =______
500 : _____# yellow = _________
432.1 x ____# green= ________
4. The last activity on the worksheet is to add the answers to all
problems to determine who has the "Most Valuable" cookie, the
"Least Valuable" and for older students a class "Average Value"
could be determined.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: This is a fun activity to review math skills.
Math extensions are almost limitless and could include student made
problems, story problems, etc. Other extensions include writing
descriptive words or paragraphs about the cookie, writing cookie
conversations, writing stories about the cookie, personification of
the cookie, etc.
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org