Activity

Candy Math Fun

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Candy Math Fun activity also includes:

Few things can motivate children to learn like the promise of a sweet and tasty treat. Given a bag of M&M®s, Skittles®, or other colorful candy, students first predict the contents of the bag before counting the pieces, creating a bar graph, and writing fractions and percents that represent each of the different colors.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Use this activity near the end of a pre-algebra unit on fractions, decimals, and percents or probability and statistics
  • Differentiate the lesson by creating cups of candy to use during the lesson, some containing fewer pieces and some containing more depending on the abilities of students
  • Though it's not mentioned on the worksheets, be sure students simplify the fractions they find
  • Extend the activity by having students find the measures of central tendency for their candy
Classroom Considerations
  • Be sure to check with your school's policy regarding giving children candy before teaching this lesson. If candy isn't allowed, use trail mix or some other mixed snack instead
Pros
  • Includes a series of worksheets for recording, graphing, and analyzing the contents of the bags of candy
  • A clear set of step-by-step directions are included for carrying out the activity
  • Worksheets are numbered in the order they are to be completed
  • Activity can easily be adapted for a range of grade levels
Cons
  • None