June was just around the corner and I was running out of ideas to keep my first graders busy and happy. Report cards were almost done and I needed something fun and educational to fill the last few days of school. Then it hit me: why not let them plan their own party?
I know what you're thinking: that sounds like a recipe for disaster. How can 6 and 7-year-olds handle such a complex task? Well, with a little guidance from me, they could. And they did! It was a performance-based math task that challenged them to use their math skills in real-life situations.
A performance-based math task is a problem that requires students to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills in a realistic and novel context. In this case, students had to use their math skills, such as collecting data, problem-solving, and counting money, to plan and create their own end-of-the-year party.
It was an amazing experience that I want to share with you. Here's how we did it!
The Big Plan
Before we could have a party, we needed a source of money to pay for everything. So, the decision was made to have a bake sale. Now, I know some people might think it was a little self-indulgent to raise money for your own party when you could be putting it toward a better cause. But the purpose of this task was not only to teach children about how to earn their own money, budget, and pay their way but to understand how much planning and work went into putting a party together. And it fit in well with the new focus on financial literacy.
Committees
I sorted the work into "committees". Each one would be responsible for a different aspect of party planning. The Committees were as follows:
- Letter Committee - Write a letter to parents outlining the party planning task and asking for donations to the Bake Sale.
- Bake Sale Committee: Advertise and set up a bake sale in the school. Operate the sale (with teacher support), take the money and give change, clean up, and count how much money was made.
- Drinks Committee: Survey the class to find their favorite drink for the party. Present the findings to the class. Figure out how much was needed and what it would cost.
- Food Committee: Survey the class to find their favorite party food. Present the findings to the class. Figure out how much was needed and what it would cost.
- Cake Committee: Survey the class to find their favorite type of cake. Present the findings to the class. Figure out how much was needed and what it would cost.
- Balloons Committee: Survey the class to find the favorite color of balloons. Present the findings to the class. Figure out how many were needed and the cost, and then blow them up and decorate the room.
- Party Hats Committee: Make three models of party hats. Survey the class to find their favorite one. Present the findings to the class. Make enough hats for everyone.
- Treat Bag Committee: Survey the class to find the three favorite candies. Present the findings to the class. Figure out how much the candy would cost. Make the treat bags.
I chose committee members based on ability. Obviously, the most difficult task was operating the bake sale. Making hats required artistic talent and finding the cost of items used number sense skills. Like every class, there was a wide variety of student needs and each child needed to feel that their job was important.
Timeline:
The first thing we did was to decide how long it would take to plan and set a date. We felt that three weeks was enough time. Next on our list was to get the explanation letters sent home to parents along with a date and request for baked goods for the bake sale.
The Bake Sale took two days as we had lots of goodies. I had my most money-literate students working the sale and showed them how to make the change. Items were priced at 25 cents each so it was fairly easy to count quarters, dimes, and nickels and give change. Of course, I supervised the whole time.
After the sale, students cleaned the dishes and sent them home. Then we counted the money! So much fun! We made about $70.00!
Now the surveys began. It was a bit chaotic and noisy as members of the committees collected their data. But all of the students took their jobs very seriously and collaborated well to put their results together, make graphs on chart paper, and then take turns presenting to the class.
The Committees found out that we would be having chocolate milk, pizza, and ice cream cake along with blue balloons, a pirate-shaped hat, and the top treats for the treat bags. Now we had to find the cost of everything. That would be a challenge!
The Teacher's Role
I put together packages for each committee and, depending on their tasks, including detailed instructions (which I read to them), a tally chart, and problems for them to solve. I worked with each committee by finding out the cost of the food, drinks, and cake and then guided them through the process to find out the total costs. For example, the chocolate milk came in containers that cost 50 cents each. We needed enough for 25 students. It cost $1 for two people to have milk, and we kept counting until we reached 26. We figured out the milk would cost $13 with one carton left over.
After each committee presented, we added up the costs to see if we had enough money. It looked like the ice cream cake might be too expensive so we would cut back on the treat bags. But when I called to get a price, the manager offered to give us the cake for FREE if we would write them a thank-you letter on chart paper for them to hang in their store.
We ended up having enough money to buy everything on our list!
The Party!
Everything was finally ready for Party Day. The hats were made, balloons blown up, pizza and chocolate milk ordered, the cake picked up, and treat bags made. We pushed the desks against the wall so we would have more space to move. The kids were SO excited!
After the food was eaten, we put on music, danced, and played with the balloons. Some of the students had brought in games to play as well. The party lasted about an hour and a half.
Then came the time for the clean-up. Everyone joined in. Once the class was back in order, the treat bag committee gave out the treat bags and it was time to go home.
The Aftermath
Once the last child left for home, I gave a huge sigh of relief. Everything had gone well! Yes, there was some spilled milk, a broken hat, and popped balloons but the kids had had FUN! They were so proud of all of their work and I was proud of them and how much they had learned. When students are involved in their own learning, they take it seriously and do the best job they can.
On the last day of school, I gave them a paper to draw their favorite memory of the school year and the PARTY was at the top of the list.
Two years later, I had the same group who were now in Grade 3. We decided to do the party again! Of course, with older students, the work was smoother and easier and required less work on my part. As a teacher, it was one of the best lessons/activities I ever did. The reward of seeing my students work hard towards a common goal was immeasurable.
The Resource!
I did this project years ago, before play-based learning in Kindergarten. When I decided to write it up and make it a resource, I made it for Grades 2-4. Unfortunately, many first graders would just not be ready to take on such an academic responsibility.
There are teacher directions with student booklets specific to each committee's tasks. I recommend you make a copy of the whole package so you can keep track of each committee and its progress. The older the grade, the less guidance you will need to give. I hope you choose to try it. It really was a lot of fun and the kids loved it!
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