[sunshinee]

Hello,

I am teaching the higher-level fifth graders at this moment for math and I am looking for any project type work for the kids to find relevance to rounding decimals, adding and subtracting decimals. Does anyone have an idea for this unit? (New math series for us)

Thanks a bunch!

[abeteach]

I would give the students a menu from a popular restaurant in your area, such as Chick-fil-A. Pose a problem for students to solve using the menu. Have students calculate their bill, in their head by rounding, to see if they have enough money to acquire the items they want to order. Secondly, have them calculate their bill using paper and pencil, to see how close they were.
You could do the same type of activity with back to school clothes ads (have them buy shirts, jeans, shoes, etc.), or school supplies ( notebooks, pencils, pens, etc.), or going to the movies ( tickets, drinks, candy, popcorn).
These problems should help them realize that rounding decimals will help them estimate to solve real world problems. Getting a number that is easy to use, or an approximation, is helpful when spending money.