Description

This activity is designed for students to complete after learning about solving systems of linear equations with substitution. The activity gives students a real-life perspective on systems of equations by using the motivation that only candy can provide. Students will receive a paper bag (stapled closed) filled with a combination of two different types of candy. Written on the paper bag is the type of candy contained within and the total weight of the bag, taking the weight of the bag itself and the staples into account. The students will determine how many of each type of candy is in the bag. The activity will guide them through defining variables, writing equations, and discovering the answer.

Materials

• One copy of the activity sheet for each student
• One copy per person of the reflection/group member grading sheet
• Small paper bags filled with a combination of two different types of candies. (I used Skittles and Starbursts, when I did the activity with chocolate, it ended up a bit messy inside the bag from all the handling.)

Teacher Preparations

• Before the activity, sort students into small groups. I recommend 2 to 3 students per group. I assign roles based on personality types.  You need a group leader, who is the only person who can speak to me for the group, a student to record and fill out the activity worksheet, a gopher in case anything needs to be retrieved or gotten from a different part of the room, and maybe a fact checker.
• Before the activity, place various amounts of the different candies into small paper bags. Write the TOTAL number of candies and the total weight on the outside of the bags, and staple them shut. (Tip: I keep a list of how many of each type of candy I put into each bag, and I label the bags A through H so that I know how many of each candy is in each group's bag.)
• Display the weight of the individual candies on the board for reference.
• Tell students that no one may open their bag until you give them the okay.
• Remind students that, as with all group work, the goal is that everyone in the group learns & understands the material-- not that they were just able to copy it down onto their paper.
• I have the students grade the participation of their group mates on a separate sheet of paper, so remind them that part of their grade can come from their teammates!
  

Activity

In groups of 2-3, hand out the students a bag of candy, worksheet, but wait to hand out the reflection paper.  Direct them to use the worksheet to guide their thought process and determine how many pieces of each candy are in their bag.

Student handout, Reflection and Group Rating Page: