Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Defend the Fort!


As part of our Civil War studies, we are doing some simulations. This week's simulation is based around defending a fort. It started with an activity in which the class measured calculated the size of all of the major objects in the classroom. 

Once we had a map of our classroom, aka the Fort, we started figuring out the ways to defend it. Each student was given a budget and a set of criteria to draw their own defenses. 

Using some calculators and some brain power they got to work!


The defense plans were not easy to decide on. Do you buys cannons but no walls? Or do you buys walls and food, but then have just a few cannonballs or low gunpowder? 


There were a lot of creative ideas.


Even more conversations about budget, costs, necessities, and strategies.


The best part...they all participating an hour of math work without even realizing it. Measuring, counting, calculating area and perimeter, balancing a budget and not one grumble or groan about how math is boring.


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