Earth Day Meets Math at St. Charles College

Mrs. Narozanski’s grade 7 students used Earth Day to study population growth and decay in grade 7.

The students watched a film on the topic then looked at the math model used to determine trends in population growth. The students used M&M’s as their manipulative to understand the model simulating growth in a fish pond.

Mrs. Narozanski explains “We put two “fish” (M&M’s) in a cup and shook them out. If the M was face up, you had to add a “fish” to the group. Then students repeated this eight times to study the trend.”

Afterwards the students studied population decay with the chocolates. “They gently shook them out onto the desk. All fish with the M’s facing up were dead and students got to eat them. They recorded how many fish remained alive. Then repeated this eight times.”

Two students, Mercedes Wabanose and Jessica Gagnon, as pictured, realized through the process that fish were dying at a rapid rate and found the activity sad but fun.