ALEX Learning Activity

Groundhog's Garden Arrays

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Jessica Freeland
Organization:University of South Alabama
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 1741
Title:
Groundhog's Garden Arrays
Digital Tool/Resource:
 
Web Address – URL:
Not Applicable
Overview:

Students will review and solve multiplication of numbers less than 100 using word problems and arrays by creating a prompted work of art.

This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Arts Education
ARTS (2017)
Grade: 3
Visual Arts
1) Elaborate on an individual or prompted imaginative idea.

Examples: Create an imaginative mask showing his/her personality.
Look at masks from different cultures such as Chinese, African and Native American.

Mathematics
MA2019 (2019)
Grade: 3
1. Illustrate the product of two whole numbers as equal groups by identifying the number of groups and the number in each group and represent as a written expression.

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
M.AAS.3.1 Using vocalization, sign language, augmentative communication, or assistive technology, model finding the sum of equal groups using repeated addition (sums within 30).
Mathematics
MA2019 (2019)
Grade: 3
3. Solve word situations using multiplication and division within 100 involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities; represent the situation using models, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number.

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
M.AAS.3.3 Use strategies (arrays, equal groups, manipulatives, etc.) to model multiplication and division equations to find an unknown number.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 3
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
Learning Objectives:

Students will recall prior knowledge of multiplication to solve multiplication word problems using arrays.

Students will ask and answer questions regarding the associated children's book, specifically recalling the order of events to plant a garden.

Students will create a work of art after being given a prompt.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
After/Explain/Elaborate
Activity:

1.) The students will review multiplication, word problems, and arrays.

2.) The students will listen as the teacher reads the book How Groundhog's Garden Grew. 

3.) The students will discuss what occurred in the book, specifically the order of events needed to plant a garden.

4.) The students will be given the following word problem: "If Groundhog planted X rows of X (food), how many (food) will Groundhog have?" Each student will be given two numbers, such as 12 and 8, to insert into their word problem (i.e. 12 rows of 8). Students may choose the food that they will represent, such as carrots, corn, tomatoes, etc.

5.) Students will be given a piece of brown construction paper to represent their "garden". 

6.) The students will create an array that represents their given multiplication problem, i.e. 12x8. They may create their array by drawing it, cutting and pasting clip art or pictures from magazines, using stamps, etc.

7.) After each student has created and decorated their array as desired, they should be sure to include the following mathematical statement. The italicized numbers and words should be adjusted to represent the numbers assigned and food chosen by the student:

  • "Groundhog planted 12 rows of 8 carrots."

  • 12x8=96

8.) Students will share their multiplication works of art with their classmates.
Assessment Strategies:

Assess if the students are able to correctly solve multiplication problems by checking the answers on their arrays.

Assess if the students are able to answer questions associated with the book via verbal questioning.

Assess if the students are able to create an imaginative work of art based on a prompt by using a rubric that checks for a multiplication problem, a word problem, an accurate array, artistic representations of the chosen food, artistic representations of a garden, etc.
Advanced Preparation:

Materials Needed:

  • Book: Cherry, Lynne. How Groundhog's Garden Grew. Blue Sky Press, 2003.

  • Brown construction paper

  • Crayons, colored pencils, markers

  • Additional construction paper for students to make vegetables

  • Scissors & glue/glue sticks

  • Magazines with picture of food

  • Printed clip art or pictures of food

  • "Found" or "recycled" small items that could be used to represent vegetables: beads, sequins, beans, etc.

  • Vegetable stamps & stamp pads (optional)

 
Variation Tips (optional):

Students could plant real seeds and observe their growth to learn about the life cycle of a plant.

Early finishers may use graph paper to create more arrays.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
 
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