Cereal Math

Written by Dr. Karol L. YeattsNCTM 2000 Principles and Standards° Number and Operations° Algebra° Geometry° Measurement° Data Analysis and Probability° Problem Solving° Reasoning and Proof° Communication° Connections° RepresentationTable of ContentsNCTM Standards• Have pre-moistened towelettes or antibacterialhand cleanser for children to washtheir hands before working with the cereal.• Give children cereal to munch that is separatefrom the cereal used for the activity.• Send a note home asking parents aboutpossible food allergies. Have substitutes onhand for any allergic children.• Ask parents to donate cereal to yourclassroom. Have tags prepares with cerealrequests so that parents can simply pull off thetag and bring it to the grocery store.• The cereals called for in each activity are onlysuggestions. Feel free to substitute genericbrandcereals or any other kinds of cereal thatyou think would work.• Store cereal in airtight containers or cans orresealable plastic bags.Literature Links• Literature links recommend appealingchildren’s books that provide naturalconnections to the mathematics conceptscovered in each activity.• These books can be used to introduce theactivity or as a follow-up extension.

Cereal Day by DayA Scrumptious SortSundaySaturdayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridayColorful Cereal Patterns• Have children sort the Trix cereal.• Explain how children can make a repeating patternusing the Trix cereal.• Have children glue their cereal pattern on index cards.• Play a matching game by matching the cereal patternsto the symbolic notation of the pattern. (ABAB…)Kindergarten students sortand create graphs usingFroot Loops.

Cereal AbacusKindergarten studentsmaking an abacus.Groups of “O’s”Kindergarten studentsmaking an abacus.A, B, C and 1, 2, 3Cereal Stats

Fill ‘Er Up!Measure by MeasureEdible Word ProblemsKindergarten students use theirabacus to solve addition andsubtraction problems.Edible Word Problems1 st graders use Applejacks to make numbersentences to show how many apples are in thetrees.Clues:1. Jim and Terace did not eat theFruity Pops.2. Amy and Terace did not eatthe Granny Bran.3. Ramon did not eat theCrunchy Munchies.4. Terace and Ramon did not eatthe Choco-Bits.5. Ramon did not eat the GrainyBran.6. ________ate the Choco Bits.Who Ate the Choco-Bits?

Web-sites• http://www.kelloggs.com/products• http://www.kraftfoods.com/postcereals/post_index.html• http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/index.aspx