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Subject

Math, Science & Technology

Related Activities

1. Pose the snowfall problem as described in the Activity Sheet to explore the pattern of snow falling.
2. Have students brainstrom different ways of solving the snowfall problem. Ask "How can we figure this out?" Discuss the problem and their experiences with snowstorms. In this instance, the snow falls at a constant rate over a period of several hours. There is no snow accumulation when snowfall begins.
3. As a whole group, have students explore the pattern of snowfall each hour. Break it down one hour at a time: "In the first hour, how much snow fell?"
4. Model the use of manipulatives to help solve the problem: "If we use unifix cubes for the centimeters of snow, here's one cube for the first hour, here's another cube for the second hour..."
5. As a class, discuss the pattern of snowfall that the students observe.
6. Have students predict the amount of snow at 6 hours, 7 hours, and 8 hours if the snowfall continues at a constant rate.

Author

Adapted from the NYS Department of Education publication, A Toolkit for Mathematics Educators: Key Idea Tasks to Enhance Success (KITES)

Description

Using problem simulations, students will explore the pattern of snow accumulation and possible variations to develop an understanding of functional relationships. As the activities proceed through the grade levels, various methods of describing, representing, and extending patterns will be introduced.

Resource/Materials

Activity Sheet

Related Academic Standards

New York State

NY-PK.CC.3 Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities to 10; connect counting to cardinality.

NY-PK.CC.4a Answer counting questions using as many as 10 objects arranged in a line, a rectangular array, and a circle. Answer counting questions using as many as 5 objects in a scattered configuration.

NY-PK.CC.4b Given a number from 1-10, count out that many objects.

PK.CC.3 Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities to 10; connect counting to cardinality.

PK.CC.4 Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 10 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 5 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–10, count out that many objects.

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