My Little Farm - Integrated Math Unit of Study

This week marks the launch of a new study focus in our Bridges Grade One math program. My Little Farm is the second of two integrated themes this year in which students will have the opportunity to make a paper model of a small family farm, use farm bucks to purchase cut out farm buildings, animals, and machinery along with land squares for pastures and building areas. The mathematics they are using to carry out this project involves place value and money, area and perimeter, mapping and computation. Students will also work with multiples using a number chart and story problems toward the end of the unit. Because this is an integrated unit involving literacy and social studies, students are reading and writing about farm operations and already, all have gotten so involved in the fantasy of setting up and running a farming operation. More exciting math learning to come! In the meantime, below are a few photos of our models beginning to take shape. 

 For a fun conversation with your child, ask him/her the cost of their farmhouse, barn, land, road, etc. and discuss the most efficient way they can use their farm bucks to pay. What if they  had farm bucks in larger bills, beyond 1s, 5s, 10s... what combinations could they use then?