Menu Lessons – Giving Kids Choices – Southern Teacher's Tales

Next year, my school will be going through re-accreditation. To prep for that process, we are going through observations and were asked to make menu lessons. Just like a restaurant menu, these activities include appetizers, entrees, side dishes, and desserts. Some activities are required but others allow for students to choose what they would like to do.

Here’s the menu my 3rd grade math students will be using over two 90 minute class periods.

graphics from Krista Wallden Creative Clips

Let’s look at the products I’m using for each part of the menu. While some of these are paid items, most are free. I’ve included links to each product so you can get them for your classroom.

Appetizers:

Students can choose from 2 different activities, one having a choice of candy. The candy ones I used are both from Extra Sprinkles. The fraction worksheet is the first one in the Fraction Center Freebie from That’s So Elementary.

Skittles Fractions M&M Fractions Fraction Center Freebie

Entrees:

Here students must do both activities. This part would be good for grading if that was required. The pizza activity is one I usually do by splitting my students into small groups. Then, the group has to work together to figure out their pizza’s fractions. For the menu, they will be individually made. The sort is an easy one even younger students can use.

Fraction Pizza from Amy Lemons $2.25 Fraction Sort from Teacher Wife

Side Dishes:

Students again choose their activity. Flying fractions is the kite part of Michelle from Smitten in First’s fraction freebie. The penguin fractions is the most costly part of this menu. It came from Laura Candler’s Exploring Basic Fractions set.

Flying Fractions Penguin Fractions $9.50

Desserts:

These are things for those faster finishers to work with. To me, some of those menu activities should be related to the topic. I originally planned to use bowling instead of basketball, but I was unable to find the toy bowling set! I looked everywhere. I’ve included a link for it anyway. Students will have a mini basketball set and a recording sheet I’ll have to create. The name fraction sheet really let’s the students be artistic and creative. AM and AR are used by our elementary students, so if your school has them, it makes an easy extra. I’ll provide some AR books dealing with fractions.

Fractions Bowling My Name in Fractions