Oreos and Math

The Oreo Cookie Project is a great way to collect primary data and review mental math strategies. Students collect 2 sets of data, their first attempt and second attempt at stacking a tower of OREO cookies. I place my students in small groups where they collect the data on a chart. Grab a copy of the chart HERE.  Then as a class we combine the data and then discuss mean and mode. Back in their small groups my students calculate the average for the group first and second attempts. We chart that data for the entire class and then make graphs that compare the data of the groups. They can be pictographs, double bar graphs etc.

We also do some math about the boxes of cookies.  I buy the bulk boxes that have 3 trays, with 3 rows of 9 cookies in each.  It makes for some great problem solving.  Grab the sheet HERE.

Finally I use the structure of the OREO cookie as a tool to help students work through problem solving steps. The top and bottom hold all the good stuff (the proof) together! This Anchor Chart goes in the front of their math books.  The R.I.S.E. (read, identify, solve, explain) is to encourage students to have the "grit" to not give up when problem solving, to rise to the challenge.  For self assessment students glue a small Oreo template in their math books and check off the steps as they work through problems.  Grab your copy of the self assessment sheet HERE.