Shopping Activity

As the new year is moving onward at full speed it is often useful to try a new activity or two during the dark winter months. A few weeks ago in the Byrdseed newsletter, Ian Byrdseed shared a math activity focused on buying a gift for a friend using measurement, volume, low cost, and other attributes.  Did you see this activity in the newsletter?  It is called “Big Gift, Small Price.”

I would use this activity with students as if we needed to shop for a birthday gift for a friend or family member. It is relevant to students because they like to celebrate birthdays, usually do not have a lot of money to spend, and often need ideas for gifts. This activity would work with students who are gifted, regardless of the type of classroom they are in, the type of school they attend, or if they are homeschooled.

The activity may be found on the following website. There are documents for the activity pages and videos explaining the activity.
  
https://www.byrdseed.tv/big-gifts/?ck_subscriber_id=623702196
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​For students who are gifted, there are a myriad of ways they could expand this activity, using it as a starting point. Some students may want to compare and contrast the gift attributes, while others may want to compare and contrast the costs based on where the gift is purchased. Other gifted students may have far more complex ideas for making this activity more detailed. Gifted students are limited only by their creativity.  

During the winter months, especially on the days when students cannot go outside, this activity provides a fun way to practice math while solving a problem of what to get as a birthday gift for a friend or family member.  It is also an activity that parents and/or teachers can present to students to complete at home or in school. Try it as a way to “warm up” for more winter activities!

Dr. Wanda Routier, Former WATG Board Member
wroutier@gmail.com