Math

K–6
Figure Me Out Math Activity
INTRODUCTION:
There’s no better way to communicate who you are than with math, since math is everywhere! All students,
no matter what language they speak, know numbers. The Figure Me Out Math Activity encourages students to
tell the class about themselves using number models.

CCSS: Numbers in Base Ten; Operations & Algebraic Thinking

Objectives: To represent numbers using pictures, drawings, number models, expressions, or equations

Student Expectations: Depending on the grade level, students should be able to use number models or
equations involving sums, differences, products, and quotients to identify a number of possible answers to
questions about them.

May be reproduced for classroom use (not commercial use).

www.SadlierSchool.com • Toll Free 800-221-5175 • Copyright © William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Math
K–6
I Do
Show a poster about you WITHOUT the number models (stickies) in place. Tell students that they are going to
create a poster like this about themselves and that their classmates will guess who each poster is about.

Figure Me Out Figure Me Out

The number of The number of
My birth month My shoe size My birth month My shoe size
children I have children I have

1,000,000
- 999,999 1
+12 +12 +12 64 ÷ 8
2

The number of states The number of The number of years The number of states The number of The number of years
I visited this summer minutes a day I read I have been teaching I visited this summer minutes a day I read I have been teaching

36 ÷ 9 5 * 12 2 (3 + 1)

The number of The number of pounds The number of The number of The number of pounds The number of
students in my class my dog weighs cats I have students in my class my dog weighs cats I have

12
24
5 2
36 2*0
+14

We Do
Have the class brainstorm different ways to represent the numbers (answers) to questions about you.
As you brainstorm, add stickies with possible number models, expressions, and/or equations to the poster.

You Do
Have each student make his or her own Figure Me Out poster (tell them not to write their name on their work).
Here are some topic suggestions should students need help thinking of information to share
about themselves:
How tall are you in inches? What is the number of letters in your name?
How many people live in your house? What is the number on your house?
How many books do you own? How many times did you go to the beach this
summer?
May be reproduced for classroom use (not commercial use).

What is your favorite number?

How many times did you eat ice cream this summer?
How old are you in years?
How many ball games did you go to?
How old are you in months?
How many amusement park rides did you go on?
What is your birth date?

After your students have completed their posters, have the class guess which poster belongs to which
student.

www.SadlierSchool.com • Toll Free 800-221-5175 • Copyright © William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Figure Me Out

May be reproduced for classroom use (not commercial use).

www.SadlierSchool.com • Toll Free 800-221-5175 • Copyright © William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.