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Getting Better at Guessing

Main Subject Area: Mathematics

Duration of Lesson:  45 minutes

Keywords:

• Estimation
• Logical Reasoning
• Penny

Brief Description:

Students will work in groups to examine a jar of coins to make both "guesstimations" and more precise estimations!

National Standard(s):

• Number and Operations
• Communication
• Reasoning and Proof

Additional Subject Area Standard(s):

Objectives:

Students will practice estimation skills.

Students will learn how to make better estimations.

Students will work in groups and discuss information about their guesses and estimates.

Materials (online):

Materials (offline):

Plastic peanut butter jar filled with 75 - 100 pennies

Math Journals

Class Chart divided into 2 columns labeled “Our Penny Guesstimates” and “Our Penny Estimates”

Coins Used in Lesson:

Circulating U.S. pennies

Grade Level(s):   K-2  

Procedures (online):

Procedures (offline):

1. Display a glass jar filled with pennies in the classroom a few days before the lesson starts. Students can make observations about the pennies in the jar but they can’t take the pennies out of the jar.

2. Divide students in to groups with 3-5 members.

3. Have each group come up with a group guesstimate for the number of pennies in the jar. Each group can have a chance to examine the jar before making their guesstimate.

4. Each group must write their guesstimate on a sticky note and place it on a classroom chart.

5. Remove about half of the pennies from the jar. Have the class decide how to determine about half.

6. Count out the half of the pennies that were removed.

7. Allow each group to make an estimate based on this new information. Have each group put their estimate on a different colored sticky note and add it to the classroom chart. Keep the group’s guesstimate and estimate next to each other.

8. In groups, student can answer the following questions. The students can write their group answers in their math journal.

- What is the order of the guesstimates from lowest to highest?

- What is the order of the estimates from lowest to highest?

- What is the range for the guesstimates?

- What is the range for the estimates?

- Find the differences between the guesstimates and estimates for each group.

9. Have students present their answers to the class.

10. Pick a group to count the total amount of pennies in the jar and add the actual number to the chart.

11. Discuss as a class different strategies for making better estimates.

Assessment / Evaluation:

Students can be given a group grade based on the information in their math journals and on the group presentation they gave when they answered the above questions.

Differentiated Learning Options:

Students can make simple word problems using the data on the classroom chart and the information they found in their groups. Students can do research to find out what they could purchase with the exact amount of pennies in the jar.