Activity Overview
Students investigate area with nonstandard and standard units of measure. They work to plan a unique vegetable garden and calculate the costs of plants for the garden.
Before the Activity
See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
Print pages 149 - 166 from the attached PDF file for your class
During the Activity
Distribute the page to the class.
Follow the activity procedures:
Activity A:
Discuss the characteristics of a garden, and read the book: The Ugly Vegetables to the class
Activity B:
Trace out the outline of a standing volunteer on a butcher block paper
Cover the desktop with business cards
Find the number of cards used
Use the calculator to count the number of rows and number of cards in each row and calculate the area
Use two centimeter grid paper and find the number of squares required to cover the desktop
Discuss the usefulness of having standard units of measuring area
Activity C:
Plan a garden using the Garden Grid that has ten squares in each row and total of ten rows
Each small square on the grid represents one large square in the actual garden plot
Activity D:
Pass out Plant cutout cards
Use the calculator to choose the number and kinds of plants to be planted Activity E:
Pass out the Vegetable Price tables
Use the calculator to find the total cost of the plants
Plan the number and kinds of plants that would fit in the given budget
After the Activity
Review student results
As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
Re-teach concepts as necessary