Using Treats to Teach Math Concepts

Reading, writing, and arithmetic, the core disciplines in any sound education, are commonly the focus of interest groups, teachers, and other involved persons when the talk turns to improving test scores and getting students to rank well in comparison to the education of their peers worldwide. Of these disciplines, arithmetic is particularly important given the fact that many high-level careers in technology and science require a solid grounding in mathematics. It is not always easy, however, to get students interested in math. In fact, teachers have their work cut out for them both to get students to memorize important math concepts and to make the learning fun and exciting at the same time.

Over the years, many teachers have discovered the incorporating candy into math lessons can be a great way to get their students interested in the subject. The sweet treats hold the attention of students, especially if the candy is used as a reward for solving the math problem correctly. Since children must often decide how to divide candy among their friends, ration their Halloween stash so that it does not run out too soon, and do other things with their sweets involving the real-world application of math, teachers often find that using candy in their lessons and activities is a great way to answer the question, “why do I have to know this?” When candy is employed creatively in math lessons, kids benefit from knowledge acquired and teachers enjoy the satisfaction of getting their lesson across to the young minds in their charge.

The following resource list is made up of many lesson plans, activities, and other resources the combine math with candy. Teachers from grades K–12 should all be able to find at least one activity that will serve their needs well, whether they are teaching division, geometry, algebra, and more. They are all highly recommended for teachers who want to make arithmetic fun and exciting for their students.