I picked up some Halloween candy today for a task I’ve been wanting to create.  2/$6 at Walgreens…what a bargain!  This task addresses standard 2.NBT.B.5.  However, the bags offered an excellent surprise in that they provided a great example of making ten as well.

Act 1

What do you notice?  What  do you wonder?

About how many candy bars do you think are in the bowl?  Give a too high and a too low estimate.

Act 2

What information do you need to solve the problem?

There are 19 Almond Joy and 21 Kit Kats.

Act 3

Share your strategies:

Possibilities include Jumping from 21 to 31 and adding 9.

Adding 9 and 1 to get a ten and then 3 more tens.

Jumping from 19 to 29 then 39 and adding 1.

Adding 1 ten and 2 tens to get 30 and then adding 1 and 9.

When my son opened his box of Jelly Belly candies I couldn’t resist creating a 3 Act Math task as it was so perfectly set up in five neat compartments.  I am posting the acts here, but there are many different ways you could go with this task.  I have included several options for Act 3 depending on your goal for the lesson.  This task could be used for any of the following CCSS standards, but I have chosen to use it for 2.NBT.B.6 (yes I know it is 5 whole numbers) and 3.NBT.A.3

Act 1:

What do you notice? What do you wonder?

Possible Question: How many beans altogether?

Write a too high and a too low estimate.

Act 2:

What information do you need?

Act 3:

or

Other possible extensions:

Which fraction is pink? brown? Write an equivalent fraction.

Here is the blank picture if you would like to change the objective and create your own Act 3: