Unit rates are displayed everywhere. What a great subject to teach children - they will definitely have many opportunities to apply it in their "real" life. The unit sentence is so applicable that it's also a bit easier to understand. If you search the internet for lesson plan ideas, you will see many grocery store examples. These examples will get you off to a good start, but there's no reason to get stuck at the grocery store. The single rate pops up in so many different areas. In this post, I share with you some of my favorite unit sentence activities that help students understand and even pay attention to unit sentences.
Another great thing about unit rate is that it is directly related to slope. This makes it the perfect background builder for students learning about inclines for the first time. Additionally, once students understand the unit phrase, they have it as a resource and concept to refer to as they learn more about functions.
In my class, we learn about the incline for a few days and then move on to the unit rate. Then, after a week of flat rate, we move on to the features. I don't know what I would do without the unit rate as some kind of mental glue to stick the slope in their brains.
The1012 Single Tariff Activities:
Categories Forward looking set
Unit rate on a chart coloring page
Bad at mathAndUnit prices in real life
Graphic organizer to compare unit prices
Let's dive in
Each of the activities has its advantages and disadvantages. As you look through them, I hope you find several that are appropriate for your unique classroom. You'll find that the list includes activities for small groups and independent work. Also, there are some activities for ringtones, class practice, review or homework. Dive in and learn about the activities related to this topic.
Unit-Rate-Labyrinthe
These threeUnit rate mazesGive students a good opportunity to practice problem solving. This format is a great change from traditional worksheets and can be used in a variety of ways. I use mazes for bell work/daily warm-ups to start classes with independent practice or cyclic repetition. By looking at the path students are following, I can quickly see how they are doing, making correction and feedback much easier. For more ideas on using math mazes in the classroom, seethis post.
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Task cards unit set
A few weeks ago, when I saw that our unit set unity was fast approaching, I realized that I didn't have any assignment cards on the subject. I use assignment cards in almost every unit I teach because they are so versatile. I love having them too when doing whole class examples on top of the overhead. So I decided to create a series of unit set task cards.
Middle schoolers are a bit goofy (and so am I), so I decided to make my assignment cards a little fun. They have a theme of penguins and pirates. Students practice the ability to find and understand unit sentences while being entertained. This set of task cards contains 20 questions of increasing difficulty. The last 4 cards are my favorites because they give students a chance to practice answering questions that have more than one correct answer. This is a big boost at my school and the students struggled to get the hang of it.
I used the cards in my class yesterday and they were a great success. At the beginning of the lesson, I first modeled a few different types of questions while the students engaged. Then they worked on the remaining questions with a partner. I always have them check their answers on the back of the task cards so they get instant feedback on how well they're doing. For more tips and tricks on using task cards, see “10 ways to use task cards in math class„
Categories Forward looking set
This is one of my new favorite tricks for starting a lesson in the middle of a study session. Basically we play a Scategories game in about 5 minutes and it gets the students juices flowing above the unit rate. It also gives me a general idea of what students understand and remember. I've played it a few days in a row and the students have improved a lot over the course of a few days.
Here's how I play it:
- Each student has a whiteboard or dry-erase SmartPal case. You write “unit rate” above.
- I give them a specific amount of time to write down everything they know about the unit rate. We usually walk for 1 to 2 minutes. These can be properties, examples, vocabulary, etc.
- As they individually compile their lists, I also compile my list.
- When the time is up, I have the students show their boards so I can see where they are on the topic. Then I show my board on the projector in the front of the room.
- This is where the game part comes in. I go through each of my answers and if someone in the room has the same answer as me, we cross them both out. I get a point for every answer that no one in the room has. Students get one point for each answer they have that I don't have. Basically I play against the whole class and the students play against me as individuals.
- After sharing my answers, anyone who has something I didn't say share their answers. Finally, we compare the points. The person with the most points wins.
This idea seems so simple, but it's an excellent anticipatory set and a smooth way to build background at the beginning of the lesson. Also, there is absolutely no preparation.
Unit Rate Escape Room
Escape Rooms are such a fun way to get students practicing and thatEscape room for one priceis no exception!
In this activity, students try to solve a common puzzle by solving math problems. They solve 3 puzzles during practice and then check their work. If they are correct, the password checker will reveal part of the overall secret.
This activity is entirely digital. It is integrated with Google Slides™ and preserves student work as they complete assignments. It can also be easily assigned and picked up electronically!
Unit rate on a chart coloring page
Coloring pages add a little pep to the class. This no-cost coloring activity gets students to practice coloring a little with the payout. Students color silly pictures that catch the children's attention. You will notice that the coloring is minimal. It gives them a little taste of something new, but it doesn't take up much class time. In fact, it seems like a nice little brain break. More importantly, students improve their math skills by working on some problems to identify the unit sentence on a chart. In this activity, one side will have questions that will be less challenging for children and the other side will be more challenging. This coloring activity is perfect for independent practice or for homework, especially when the children already have a pretty good grasp of the topic.
let's make a deal
This free resource for Let's Make a Deal by Mrs. Sattcan be downloaded on TPT.If you are looking for a quick finisher activity, then this is an activity that you should definitely check out. I showed my students an example and then let them complete the rest on their own. At the end of the activity we talked about what surprised you about the different comparisons. Children always have interesting insights and they liked this activity because of the real aspect of the activity.
Bad at mathAndUnit prices in real life
Because unit rates are so common in the real world, you'll find examples everywhere. These two images are a fun way to talk about the unit rate (link to Planet Fitness dealHere, and for the soda gauge clickHere). Both images give students a chance to put their unit rate skills to the test and explain why some of them fall into the bad at math category. These are great for predictive phrases or closing activities.
QR code game
One way to integrate technology into the classroom is through the use of QR codes. QR codes are square codes that you add, like the ones in the image below, and can be read by an app on a computer or a phone. When students scan the code, they see the answer or information the code reveals (read more aboutUsing QR codes in the classroom here). Kids love using these codes. I have used them many times with many different groups of children and the result is always the same. They really get into what they're doing when they use these codes.
TheProportional relationships QR code gamecontains 16 cards and asks questions about proportional sentences and unit sentences in specific situations. Students need to find the unit sentence in different contexts and compare it to other sentences. Some cards require you to read a graph and then calculate the total after a certain number of iterations.
Sugar in the Soda Project
We have done thisSugar in Soda Projectby Math Equals Love in my summer school class a few years ago and it really made an impact. In this project, students will find the unit rate of grams of sugar per ounce in various beverages. Then they compare the drinks with each other. For even greater impact, I brought packets of sugar so the students could really see how much sugar was in each drink. You can also use some sugar cubes or plain old sugar to help them see the amount of sugar dissolved in each drink. Not only is this a great exercise in finding and understanding unit prices, it will make everyone think twice before grabbing that next lemonade.
Zombie Speed
I didn't create thisZombie Velocity Activity, but it's my kind of activity. It takes the unit set and applies it to zombies. The activity itself can be done on the floor and parts of it can be completed on graph paper. ThePostwalks you through the activity to find zombie speed and zombie arm speed. After finding the speed, there is an additional activity on the same page that you need to do on graph paper and show the unit rate of the zombie's speed. You could even do this activity on your own, giving the students the speed and having them record and find the unit sentence. This activity definitely gives students a unique exercise with unit rates.
Graphic organizer to compare unit prices
I love itGraphic organizer for comparing unit pricesfrom To The Square Inch because we can use it in our dry erase SmartPal cases. Also, it works well in the interactive notebook. You just have to keep encouraging the kids to use it - it's something they should keep referring to. Students do not always use the most efficient problem-solving techniques. This graphic organizer helps many children who have trouble keeping everything organized.
As you can see, enter each tariff in the tariff field. Then convert it to a unit rate. After you've done that, compare the two plans. So simple and so easy.
Try one…
It can be overwhelming trying a whole bunch of new things. My challenge to you is to try one thing. For example, if they are new to you, just try using task cards with this unit. If you like the task cards, you can use them again in another unit. I first tried them a few years ago and now use them in every unit. I'm so glad I found her! They are perfect for my class on the 3rd or 4th day of the unit.
Hope you find things that work for you and that you can use again and again for years to come. Definitely try one of the ideas above and see how your classes respond. Thank you for reading! Until next time.