Little Math Thinkers!

Yesterday's problem solving challenge involved quite a bit of math! The task was to design the tallest, freestanding structure using 100 toothpicks and a cup of candy corn.
First,  the children drafted a plan and made a sketch. They were placed in groups and shared their individual plans and next decided how to incorporate everyone's ideas into one design!

After a decision was made, each group was given a handful of toothpicks. The first task was to count how many they had and how many more they needed to have a total of 100. The requirement was to show their work on paper. Groups used many tools to help them solve this first challenge. Some used a 100's chart to count up by tens and ones. Others used strategies they knew in their heads such as taking the amount of toothpicks and first making it a ten and then adding groups of ten to reach 100. Other groups used tally marks to count and figure out the missing number.

As they defended their work they were given another handful of toothpicks. They worked again adding the new toothpicks to the first group and determining how many more were needed. EVERY SINGLE child was engaged and determined to find the answer!!

                                                  Check out all this math!!!!

After each group had 100 toothpicks they were given 15 minutes and a handful of candy corn to get to work. Unfortunately, the structures were incredibly difficult to build but the kids never complained or gave up! We determined that the toothpicks weren't sturdy enough and the candy corn was too hard. But they kept at it!

This group improvised after  several attempts and made a big pile of materials!