Crunching Numbers (and Cranberries!)

Snack-Time Math with a Purpose

Bring math to life with a simple classroom snack in the Crunching Numbers (and Cranberries!) activity. This interactive lesson uses cranberry trail mix to help students practice fractions, percentages, teamwork, and data collection—all while learning that cranberries are as nutritious as they are delicious.

Students work in small groups to sort and count the ingredients in their trail mix sample. From there, they calculate the percentage of each item and contribute their results to a class-wide data table. The lesson wraps up with a discussion on why individual samples might differ from the class average and how sampling works in real-world data analysis.

What Makes This Lesson Great:

• Students apply math concepts to something tangible (and tasty)

• Each group member plays a role—counter, recorder, leader, or reporter—encouraging collaboration and responsibility

• A built-in opportunity to talk about healthy snacks and the role of cranberries in a balanced diet

Teachers can extend the lesson by having students create bar graphs, compare different types of trail mix, or even write about where cranberries come from and how they're grown. It’s a fun, flexible way to integrate agriculture and nutrition into math class.

This is math students can truly sink their teeth into.