Category Archives: lesson plan

Explore Every Trail - menu page with six choices of people or communities on the Lewis and Clark Trail

People You’d Meet on the Lewis & Clark Trail

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by Lacey Schweitzer, Longfellow Elementary School

Standard:

H.3_5.9 – I can explain how individuals and groups contributed to North Dakota.

Time

The unit will take 8-9 class periods, a total of 320 – 360 minutes. Each lesson requires 40 minutes.

Technology Needed:

Internet connection on a PC or Chromebook laptop, tablet, or phone. NOTE: The unit includes videos that are hosted on YouTube. If your school network blocks YouTube access for students, you may want to plan to show these from the teacher computer during class time.

Summary:

This Unit plan on Lewis & Clark will cover how individuals and groups contributed to North Dakota. These individuals and groups include: Corps of Discovery, Sacagawea, expedition, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, Thomas Jefferson, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Sioux, Chippewa, Metis, tribe, sovereign, treaty, reservation. Students will be able to describe the effects of the Lewis and Clark expedition in North Dakota history and be able to explain the contributions of Native Americans in North Dakota. Students will follow along by creating a Lewis & Clark journal, which will be based off of the readings completed in the Frontier Era of North Dakota textbook. 

Lesson

  1. Introduce the unit with the downloadable Google Slides presentation is available here and as a PowerPoint presentation here. This presentation helps students gain a perspective on the adventure that the Corps of Discovery went through. Students will also be introduced to Native Americans who contributed to the discovery and how they helped shape North Dakota. NOTE: Assigned pages refer to the specific textbook used in North Dakota fourth-grade classrooms. Teachers using a different textbook will need to revise the presentation to match the pages in their textbook.
  2. Students watch the video: The Making of a Nation: Louisiana Purchase
  3. Students create a journal they will use as they read about the expedition in their textbook. Instructions for journal entries are given in the introductory presentation (#1)
  4. Students watch the video: Lewis and Clark: An American Adventure Story
  5. Students read about the expedition in the textbook used at their school. Alternatively, students can read from The Frontier Era of North Dakota, available online.
  6. Students read assigned pages on the Lewis and Clark and write in their journals. It is advisable to review each day’s assignment from the presentation.
  7. Group assignment #1: Students work in groups to research a member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.
  8. Group assignment #2: Students meet in new groups and share the results of their research.

Game

For a review, students will play the game – “Math and Science on the Lewis & Clark Trail”.

Assessment

Students will take the post-assessment test. Teachers will be able to check for understanding, based on the data from the assessment. 

Original map from the Lewis and Clark Trail

Primary sources from Lewis & Clark with crop-it

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Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.7
Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g. , in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

NCSS Theme 3 – Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments.

Technology required

Device with a browser for students to access crop-it activity. Teacher should have a computer with projector to give slides presentation, but if this is not available, students can see slides on their own device. 

Time

40 – 50 minutes

Lesson Summary

Students watch a video or play through the introduction of the You are Here game, including the levels on Lewis and/ or Clark. The teacher gives a presentation introducing the crop-it tool and students complete an assignment that requires answering questions using the map provided.

What is crop-it and how to use it

It’s a fun tool that lets your students zoom in on a section of a primary source. You have three options:

  1. Use a crop-it activity from the gallery
  2. Print out resources and do the activity using paper
  3. Create your own crop-it

Lesson

Begin with watching the video “Why study Lewis & Clark?” (Note: In summer, 2025, we will be releasing a new game, You are Here: STEM on the Lewis & Clark Trail.)

Next, do a crop-it activity.

In this lesson, we’ll go with Option 3. Because we’re not sure as of this writing if the government is going to shut down and whether the Library of Congress will be available, I uploaded a map to the Growing Math site. While the image below is only 600 pixels in width, the image I uploaded for this exercise is 20 times this size.

Zoom in or Crop the Map

Here is the link of the crop-it I created for the map Lewis and Clark made that went as far as the area they named Cape Disappointment.

Here is a Google slides presentation showing your students step by step how to crop an image, add notes, save notes, zoom in and create a PDF showing their responses.

Differentiation

On the crop-it site, you can design your own crop-it activity with fewer questions or simpler images.

For a simpler crop-it, you can use this photo of a Hidatsa bull boat on the river.

African-American girl churning butter

Rural Artifact Project

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Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.9
Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.

Technology required

Students will need a device to search the Internet. This lesson assumes students submit assignments on Google classroom but that is not a requirement.

Time

2 hours, including time for presentation, student research and completing assignment sheet.

Lesson Summary

Students learn definitions of artifacts and their use in understanding every day life during a historical period. Students conduct research on sites such as the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institute to find images of four artifacts and write a discussion of each.

Lesson

Begin with this presentation explaining what is an artifact, the steps in completing the artifact assignment. The assignment requires finding four artifacts and writing a discussion of each. An example of a completed artifact assignment for one artifact, a butter churn, can be found here.

Allow students 30-60 minutes for research and an additional 30-60 minutes for completing the written assignment for each artifact. To maximize time on task, we recommend having students turn in their draft for at least one artifact by the end of the first class period. A second class period can be used for finding and describing additional artifacts.

Differentiated Instruction

For AP U.S. History and other advanced students, we recommend assigning this web-based lesson on artifacts from the Smithsonian Institute.

Students with writing or language difficulties may be assigned fewer artifacts to research and discuss.

Three Native American soldiers, two men, one woman.

Cross-curricular lesson on Native American vets

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CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.

⏰ Time

Three to four hours. Time varies depending on the time allowed for research online and whether presentation will be submitted in writing or include presentation or video.

📲 Technology Required

Either a project or smart board connected to the computer will be required to view presentation in class and students will need a computer or tablet to conduct research on the web. The game can be played on any computer or tablet with Internet access.

Summary

This cross-curricular lesson includes history, mathematics, English language arts, computer applications and physical education. Students play a game which teaches about Native American veterans in World War I. They are given a presentation on the accomplishments of veteran, Joseph Oklahombi. In P.E. class, students sprint 210 yards to simulate Oklahombi’s attack. They are assigned to create a presentation to nominate Oklahombi for the Congressional Medal of Honor. This may include Google Slides, PowerPoint or video presentations.

Lesson

Presentation in Social Studies

Use the Google slides presentation to teach information about Joseph Oklahombi and Native American participation in World War I. They are given a presentation that includes information on the accomplishments of veteran, Joseph Oklahombi, including the ratio of enemy prisoners captured to American soldiers in his unit. The presentation also discusses the failure of the U.S. government to recognize soldiers like Oklahombi as citizens and the subsequent congressional acts that addressed this issue.

Have students play the Native American veterans game and select the section on World War I veterans.

Screenshot of menu with 5 choices, World War I , Women Veterans, War Stories, Famous Veterans and one, unlabeled, picture of a man in a war bonnet

Writing Assignment

The writing assignment and an outline for a guide are included in the presentation. This can be printed or copied and distributed to students through Google Classroom, Schoology or other CMS.

Physical Education

During P.E., have students measure out 210 yards, set out obstacles to dodge and jump over (backpacks with stacks of books would be a good choice) and sprint down the course, simulating Oklahombi’s attack on the machine gun nests.

Mathematics

Two ratios are computed in the presentation. The teacher may ask students to compute these individually and then present the answer. This lesson may be included as part of the ratio and proportion unit.

Computer Applications

Students will need to access the internet for their research. There are many reputable sites with information on Joseph Oklahombi, including the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, Oklahoma Historical Society, Veteran’s Administration and more. Optionally, students may submit their assignment as a video or slide presentation or write it using a word processor.

Differentiation

For students who have learning disabilities or other limits on writing ability, an oral presentation or video may be submitted in lieu of the written assignment.

pyramid with character at the bottom

Learn statistics and history, in English or Spanish

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 Standards

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT 5.NF.A.2 Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions referring to the same whole, including cases of unlike denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem. 

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.5.c. Calculating quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability (interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation).

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.EE.3 Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with rational numbers in any form (positive and negative, fractions, decimals, and integers).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.

📲 Technology Required

Students will need access to a computer or iPad.

⏰ Time Required

30-45 minutes

📃 Summary

This lesson includes game-based instruction and assessment.

Click here for the AZTECH: THE BEGINNING TEACHERS GUIDE with answers to all math and vocabulary questions, game play ‘cheat sheet’ and everything else you need to know.

Lesson

Play a game (yes, it’s free)

  1. Assign students to play AzTech: The Beginning. The link to play the game online can be found here. It can also be downloaded from the App Store here.
  2. Students register with a username and password, then play the game, in English or Spanish. You can have students register and select their own, or provide usernames and passwords you wish them to use, for example, an existing school login.
  3. Each math problem has an EXPLAIN button that students can click to get an explanation of how to solve the problem. Some also have a hint, which is a short suggestion of how to go about solving it. For example, “Subtract the number of days you did not have homework, from the total number of days. Give the answer as a fraction of the total.”
Math problem with hint button

We recommend encouraging students to read the EXPLAIN and any HINT buttons before asking the teacher for help.

4. If students miss a problem twice in a row, they are routed to a LEARN MORE page and need to select an option, which may be a video, web page with voice over or matching terms, to learn more.

Assessment

Students get immediate feedback on right or wrong answers. Assuming students are playing online, results of in-game math challenges are recorded to a database which teachers can access. Access to reports can be found here.

Differentiated Instruction

Students who finish ahead of the class can continue the story in AzTech: Meet the Maya, available for the web and also in the Apple App Store for iPads.

Students who are not yet at the sixth-grade level in mathematics and who could benefit from a bilingual game can play Making Camp Bilingual, which address third- and fourth-grade math standards. It is available here for access from the web and in the Apple App Store and Google Play store .

Related lessons

Teaching statistics in classrooms with English learners AND Native speakers.

Codex

The Codex in Latin American History and Math

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Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

Technology required

Device with a browser for AzTech Game. Printer for printing codex and related worksheet and activity pages.

Time

4-5 hours

Lesson Summary

This is an augmentation of a lesson from the Library of Congress uses a primary source – the Huexotzinco Codex – as a basis for document analysis, inquiry and applied mathematics. Students analyze pages documenting tribute paid to Spanish administrators, compute the tribute paid, read a one-page overview of the codex and analyze the codex. A presentation is given on connections between Aztec, Mayan and contemporary methods. Students begin or end classes playing a game that includes Mayan history and middle school mathematics.

Lesson

First, some background for the teacher. The Huexotzinco Codex was part of the evidence in a case brought by the Nahuas, Indigenous people of what is now Mexico, against the Spanish administrators, alleging excessive taxation (tribute). This case was won by the Nahuas. In this lesson, students do not learn the full story until the third or fourth class period.

Analyze Documents

Begin with this link to the Library of Congress lesson, “The Huexotzinco Codex”, and have students complete Activity 1, Document Analysis. This should take one class period- approximately one hour.

NOTE TO THE TEACHER: Allow at least 30 minutes before using this lesson the first time, to read through the Library of Congress lesson, download and print out documents for students.

Play a game

Have students sign in and begin the game, AzTech: Meet the Maya. Students should play for about 15 minutes.

Computation – How much was the tribute?

Continue with the second part of Library of Congress lesson, “The Huexotzinco Codex”, and have students complete Activity 2, Computation. After students have completed one tribute sheet and corrected their answers, use this slide presentation to show the connection between the Aztec and Maya codices and our modern system of numbers and graphs. Optionally, have students complete one or two more tribute sheets from the linked lesson. This should take one to two class periods.

Play a Game

At the beginning of class, have students continue the AzTech: Meet the Maya game. Students should play for 15-20 minutes by which time some of the students should have reached the codex activity and explanation in the game.

Write a Narrative Explanation

Continue with the third part of Library of Congress lesson, “The Huexotzinco Codex”, and have students complete Activity 3, Narrative Explanation.

Assessment

Four types of assessments are included; observation of student understanding of historical document analysis in the class discussion, student self-corrected math computation, student written assignments (analysis sheet, observations and scenario outlines) and the math problems in the AzTech game which are scored automatically with data available in teacher reports.

Differentiated instruction (optional)

Advanced Students who complete their assignments early can continue with the AzTech: Meet the Maya game. If they complete this game, they can choose to play AzTech: The Story Begins or AzTech: Empiric Empire.

English learners can play the AzTech : Meet the Maya and AzTech: The Beginning games in English or Spanish.

Recommended Related Lesson

Counting ropes and rational numbers

Using Visual Models To Compare Fractions

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Standards

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.A.2 Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators, e.g., by creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as 1/2

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.A.2 Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions referring to the same whole, including cases of unlike denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem. 

Technology Required

Students will need a Mac or Windows computer or an iPad to play the Fish Lake game. Alternatively, students can play Forgotten Trail on the web using Chromebooks or any computer with a web browser.

Time

35-45 minutes

Lesson Summary

Students play 2-3 levels of a game that teaches and assesses adding and comparing fractions with different numerators and denominators, with the context of a story from Ojibwe history. They create their own problems using visual models to compare fractions. Students discuss classmates’ problems. The lesson culminates with a video on visualization as a problem-solving strategy.

Lesson

Start with a Game (10-20 minutes)

Students play the Fish Lake game through level 2. This requires installing the game on an iPad or a Mac or Windows computer. If only Chromebooks are available, students can play the Forgotten Trail Game instead. We do recommend Fish Lake if iPads are available. Although mathematics and social studies standards taught in both games overlap, the change from using Chromebooks in most lessons to a more console-level game can improve student engagement.

Students create their own problems (10 minutes)

Use slides 1-4 of this Slides presentation to explain the assignment. Optionally, for students learning at home or for homework, it can be assigned to students in Google classroom or similar system.

Discuss math problems students created (10 minutes)

Because students very often ask, “What do you mean?” or “Give me an example?” slides 5-11 of the presentation give an example.

A visual model of equivalent fractions

Watch a video (2.5 minutes)

Visualize! One way of solving a problem

Assessment

This lesson includes three types of assessment. In the games, students are presented with math word problems that relate to the game narrative. Their answers are scored and data can be accessed for each student from the teacher reports. Students submit math problems they have written for teacher feedback. Also, teacher can use whole class discussion of student problems as a gauge for understanding or have students in pairs or small groups submit written discussion of their peers’ math problems.

Ratio and Proportion Unit

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Note: When we surveyed teachers from the 2021-22 academic year, the most requested addition to the site was to combine the lessons into units. Of course, your average teacher could do this but your average teacher is also short of time.

📖Standards

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.1 Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2 Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities

⏰Time Required

About 4 hours for all seven lessons

📲Technology Required

Projector or smart board for in–class or access to computer or tablet for web meeting for remote learning. Presentation could be printed for students at home without computer access.

🧾Unit Summary

This seven-lesson unit teaches sixth- and seventh-grade standards on ratio and proportion using real-world problems. Complete unit requires about 4 hours and includes multiple hands-on activities.

📃 Lesson 1: Teach Ratio with Math Snacks (90 Minutes)

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.1 Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.

Students watch a video from Math Snacks in which Isabella uses the ratio of words she speaks to her date to determine if it was a good or bad day. The video has a companion teacher guide with questions to stimulate students’ thinking about ratios and test their understanding. Students play a game where they brew potions with given ratios to defeat an opponent. Students then complete a learner’s guide assessing and reinforcing their knowledge of ratios.

📃 Lesson 2: Ratios as Fractions (10 Minutes)

Summary

Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

Yes, this lesson plan is just a video. We watched LOTS of boring videos on ratios and rates to find this one! This video can be used before or after the lesson on Introduction to Ratio and Proportion, either as an introduction for students who need more preparation or a second look for students who could benefit from having the material presented in a different way.

📃 Lesson 3: Introduce Ratios and Proportion (30 minutes)

Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

Summary: Students are presented with definitions of ratio and proportion along with multiple examples and ways to solve these problems. This presentation includes multiple explanations for multiple levels of understanding. There is a solution using algebra, with cross-multiplication and an explanation of why cross-multiplication works. There is also an explanation using equivalent fractions. If you are teaching an algebra class, use the first explanation and delete the second. For a more basic math class, delete the first explanation and just use equivalent fractions. Also includes a baking activity, not required but highly recommended.

📃Lesson 4: Ratio, Proportion and Animal Identification (65 Minutes)

Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

Students hear or read a presentation on ratio, percentage decrease, rate and proportion. They watch a short video on ratio. Students collect data either outdoors or using images provided. They then compute ratio, rate, increase and proportion using the data.

📃Lesson 5: Introducing Ratio and Proportion with Making Camp Navajo (30 Minutes)

Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2 Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities

Students play the Making Camp Navajo game, selecting the activity that explains ratio and proportion. The teacher reviews the activity with the class in a presentation, that includes three more problems to be completed as a group.

📃Lesson 6: Rates, Ratios and Proportions with Fractions (40 Minutes)

Standards: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 Compute unit rates, including those that involve complex fractions, with like or different units.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2.C. Represent proportional relationships by equations

Students watch a 4-minute video giving examples of finding unit rates by simplifying fractions. They solve a problem together as a class and are given a short lecture on solving rate problems with complex fractions. Problems provided can be worked by students individually or done together in class.

📃Lesson 7: Discover Dairy – Ratio in the Cow Life Cycle (65 Minutes)

Standards:CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.1 Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2 Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.

This cross-curricular lesson is from Discover Dairy. Students read a passage on the life cycle of dairy cows. A guided class discussion answers questions on the life cycle. The lesson concludes with a challenging lab in which students create a healthy cow diet.

Discover Dairy: Cow Life Cycle

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📖 Standards

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.1 Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.

📲 Technology Required

Computer with printer to print lab work sheets, for in-class use. Computer or tablet with Internet access for home use.

Heads up! For the lab in this lesson you will need spinach, carrots, cheese sticks, orange juice, and a weight scale and/or measuring cups. It is not required to do the lab 2 component but recommended.

⏰ Time

60-70 minutes

📃 Summary

This cross-curricular lesson is from Discover Dairy. Students read a passage on the life cycle of dairy cows. A guided class discussion answers questions on the life cycle. The lesson concludes with a challenging lab in which students create a healthy cow diet.

Lesson

NOTE: While we create most lessons on the Growing Math site ourselves, we do include links to other lessons that are exemplary in their cross-curricular, standards-based design. This lesson is one of two “lessons we love” from Discover Dairy. The entire 14-page guide with two lessons can be downloaded here, including reading passages, lab assignments and answer keys.

You can also go to the Discover Dairy site, which requires a free registration and login to download individual parts of the lesson and see the other lessons they have available.

Read a passage on the life cycle of a dairy cow

You’ll find this on page 14 of the handout linked above or download both reading assignments here (it’s only two pages) or copy the link to assign in your Google classroom to read on line.

Class Discussion on Life Cycle

Using the discussion questions on page 4 of the complete lesson plan, discuss the dairy cow life cycle with students based on their knowledge from the reading.

dairy cow

Lab Exercise #2 Feeding a Dairy Cow

Each student or group will need a scale or measuring cup and the following:

  • 1 cup spinach
  • Baby or whole carrots
  • 1 cheese stick
  • One 12 oz. cup of orange juice

Distribute the materials needed and the lab assignment (pages 11 and 12 of the complete lesson plan or you can link directly to those here, if you want to assign in Google classroom or other management system. Note that link includes both labs 1 and 2.) Lab explanation from page 5 of the complete lesson plan.

Teachers should explain that a healthy, well-cared-for cow will give more milk. The way farmers care for their cows and how they feed them has helped to increase the amount of milk cows give over the past 50 years.  Just like our diets, a cow’s diet must be balanced based on her stage of life. For instance, a baby calf requires higher energy foods to fuel her rapid growth.  A cow that has just given birth requires higher levels of certain nutrients to replenish her body. Farmers must adjust rations to accommodate those needs.  Farmers work closely with an animal nutritionist and use a variety of feed products to balance cows’ diets to meet their precise nutrient needs using a variety of feed products.  Farmers use a large feeding scale to make sure each cow gets the right amount of each feed. Those feeds are blended together to provide a balanced diet called a Total Mixed Ration (TMR). During the lab, students should use the carrots, celery, cheese and orange juice to balance a diet to meet the required nutrients listed on the lab worksheet. They should use a weight scale to measure the right amount of each feed. If they don’t have a weight scale, they can use measuring cups to determine the amount. Complete the ratios in the worksheet.

– Discovery Dairy

Answer keys for this lab exercise as well as for the lab for the selective breeding lesson can be found here.

Review and Summarize Dairy Cow Life Cycle: What We’ve Learned

Review questions and summary can be found on pages 5 and 6 of the complete lesson plan.

ASSESSMENT

This lesson includes three types of assessment – the initial class discussion gives an estimate of the general class understanding of the dairy cow life cycle. The lab provides individual student data on mastery of both the science and math concepts. The concluding review questions can be poised to the whole class or given to students as a quiz.

Related lesson

Discover Dairy: Selective Breeding

Decimals, Epidemics & Fly Vomit – It’s science!

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📖Standards

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NBT.B.7 Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to hundredths

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.MD.A.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Technology

Students will need a phone or tablet to play the game.

Time

75 minutes

Lesson Summary

Learn decimals while weighing a flies and the food they eat. The lesson begins with a game on decimals and the Aztec smallpox epidemic, then moves to another disease spreader – flies. Students learn the role flies play in our ecosystem, how they eat and reproduce.

Lesson

1. Play a game

Play AzTech: Empiric Empire to learn basic conversions from fractions to decimals. Empiric Empire is available free for iPad or iPhone and for Android phones. As an added bonus, students will also learn about epidemics. It’s worth mentioning that the smallpox epidemic was spread by viruses but a lot of other diseases are spread by flies.

Note: For summer learning, you may want to just copy the paragraph above into your Google classroom for students to download the games to their phones.

2. Watch a video

I pasted in a link starting after the first minute because that is mostly telling you to like/ subscribe and comment. Ah, YouTube!

Bell Ringer – What if flies went extinct ?  This 7:33  minute video discusses flies as agricultural pests and disease vectors, but also their benefits as scavengers eating up decaying carcasses, pollinators and animal feed.

Here is the link if you’d like to post in your Google classroom or other CMS for students to watch at home. https://youtu.be/80Iqp6bqc-0?t=76

3. Read about flies & perform a demonstration

Recommended reading: Eat like a house fly. Houseflies and barf

What really happens when a house fly lands on your food? Print out this page from Science World – Canada , include the link in your Google classroom or other CMS for students to read, or just read the page to students during class. The demonstration requires vinegar, jello and a turkey baster – things many people have around the house or can pick up easily at a local store. It also includes a list of vocabulary words and definitions, which fits perfectly with our philosophy of direct teaching of academic language.

4. Complete word journal

This lesson provides the opportunity for students to learn many words, in the reading, in the videos and possibly in the Empiric Empire game as well. Students add words or terms with which they are unfamiliar to their word journal. Some teachers call it a personal dictionary, to others it’s a word journal. Regardless, the goal is the same, for students to record new words, give a dictionary definition and “make the word their own”. This can be done by rewriting the definition in their own words, using the word in a sentence or including an illustration of the word.

Two dictionary sites to recommend for definitions are below. An added bonus to mention to students is that they can hear words pronounced.

Since students often ask for an example, here is an example you can link in your lesson. 

The personal dictionary assignment, with all links, can be found here. Feel free to copy and paste into your Google classroom or other site, or print out for your class.

5. Presentation on Decimals in Science (Fly Experiment)

Give this presentation on using decimals to weigh flies, their containers and the food they eat to answer the question, “Do flies really eat 10 times their weight each day?”

Watch a second video

I recommend watching the first 5 1/2 minutes of the Facts About Flies – Secret Nature video  to give the students some idea about both flies as vectors of disease but also important scavengers consuming decaying material. The full documentary is 49 minutes, which I personally found to be more about flies than I wanted to know.

Assessment

Three types of assessment are included in this lesson.

  1. The Word Journal assignment is completed individually and submitted.
  2. Math questions answered within the Empiric Empire game are scored automatically with immediate feedback and student results can be viewed in the teacher reports.
  3. Math questions posed within the presentation can be answered as a whole class, having students hold up a card with their answer or with individual students responding and asking the rest of the class to agree or disagree.


Differentiated instruction

Review of Decimal Addition

One-minute step-by-step video from TeacherTube on Adding Decimals may be helpful for students who need a review of decimal addition.

Watch the whole video

For students who are extremely interested in insects, watching the entire 49 minute video of Facts about Flies will satisfy their curiosity

Experiments with fly larva

Hungry Hungry Hermetia

For teachers who want to do a deep dive into the role flies in consuming food waste, the experiment above uses 100 black soldier fly larvae. I am extremely impressed with this lesson because not only does it include a link to where to buy maggots (on Amazon, of course) but also answers the obvious question of what do you do with 100 fly larvae after your experiment is over. The answer is that you feed these to your class reptile. Would I bring 100 maggots into my classroom? Not in a million years, but that is why I am not an entomologist.

You DO have a class snake, don’t you?