How Much is a Million?

Sharon Simmons                 Joseph Stockton Elementary
                               4420 North Beacon 
                               Chicago IL 60640
                               (312) 842-2125

Objective:

This lesson is designed for Grades 7-8.  Students will estimate how much a
million of something weighs. 

Materials Needed:

Five boxes of cereal (box of cereal with total weight removed), calculators,
scale, and measuring cups.

Strategy:

*Write information on board: Cap'N Crunch cereal has been contracted to deliver 
  a million pieces of cereal to the Olympic Village.  Your job is to determine  
  how many boxes of Cap'N Crunch equals a million, how much it will weigh and 
  how much it will cost to send the boxes to the Olympic Village. 
*Write on board the cost of shipping per ounce or gram.
*Divide the students into groups of four.
*Distribute a box of cereal, calculator and measuring cup to each group.
*Place scales on table.
*Each group adds data to chart on board.
*Formula: Determine the total weight of the cereal.
*Weigh and count a small portion of the cereal.
*Multiply the # of pieces by the total weight in the box.
*Divide one million by the # of pieces.  This will give the # of boxes.
*Multiply the weight of one box by the total number of boxes.
*Multiply the total number of boxes by the shipping costs.

Performance Assessment:

The students should be able to determine the answer by using skills that were 
previously taught: estimation and measurement.