Everyone likes to have fun with a pizza party! Just the mention of pizza in the classroom increases the excitement of kids. So why not use something they love for your lesson content?
Imagine being able to take your students to a local pizza shop for a field trip to explore and review what you've learned about fractions. That would be AMAZING in a perfect world. But it's a possibility to bring the pizza shop experience to your classroom. That's what I LOVE about room transformations. I can bring any experience to my students and create a highly engaging atmosphere and lesson content for my students without leaving the school building.
Fraction Pizzeria was super fun and super simple to do. I used this at the end of my fraction unit for a review, and students were pretty much working independently in their groups throughout the event. I organized it into 4 different stations, and students rotated throughout the activities with their group.
Stations:
1. Order Up! - Ordering fractions from least to greatest (or greatest to least).
2. Buffet - Adding and Subtracting fractions
3. Pizzeria Problems - Fraction word problem task cards
4. Build Your Own Pizza - Identify fraction of a set
Extra Station - Pizza Combinations - Convert fractions to decimals and percentages (higher level skills)
To make this class transformation complete, just visit your local dollar store for some fun decorations. I found red and white checked plastic table clothes, battery operated tea lights, and fun mustaches for my students to wear. You could also do balloons, background music, mini chalkboards for stations... lots of ideas. You can also contact a local pizza shop and ask them to donate pizza boxes for your students to use when they create their own pizzas. The mini personal pan boxes worked perfectly!
And, just for the icing on the cake (or the cheese on the pizza), I had lunchable pizzas for each student for a fun snack. Since they were small and individually packaged, this was a simple but fun snack to go along with the theme. Maybe the pizza shop that donated the boxes might throw in a pizza or two for you? It doesn't hurt to ask!
If this is something that you want to do with your students, check out my
4th Grade Fractions, Room Transformation and Activities product on Teachers Pay Teachers. You'll find all of the above activities, plus a few more items to help make this a fun, memorable, and positive learning experience for your students. Even if you don't want to do a full room transformation, these are fun as stand alone activities.
Happy Teaching!
