Math Idea #5
                            Comparisons

Objective:
     The  students  will compare numbers using greater  than  (>),
     less than (<), and equals (=).

Rationale:
     After your class has used "5 A Day Adventures" to explore the
     Salad  Factory, students will learn how to create  their  own
     salads using 16 popular fruits and vegetables. Reinforce what
     they  have learned in the Salad Factory while practicing  the
     math skill of comparing whole numbers to decimals.

Materials:
     "5 A Day Adventures"
     'Compare the Salads' sheet

Introduction:
     *    Remind students about serving size equivalents:

     1 serving =    3/4 cup (6 ounces) 100% juice
               =    1 cup leafy greens
               =    1/2 cup canned fruit or cooked vegetable
               =    1/4 cup dried fruit
               =    1 piece of fruit


     *    They may need to review how to compare fractions of  1/4
          and 1/2.

Group/Individual Activity:
     Have  the  students  work in a group or individually  on  the
     'Compare the Salads' sheet.  They will need to refer  to  the
     Salad Factory section of "5 A Day Adventures" to complete the
     last section of the sheet.

Related Activities:
     The  'Measurement' math activity is good preparation for this
     activity!

                        Compare the Salads

Sarah's Salad          Omar's Salad              Steve's Salad

1 cup iceberg lettuce  1/2 cup iceberg lettuce   2 cups iceberg lettuce
1/4 cup carrots        1/2 cup spinach           1/4 cup grapefruit
1/4 cup broccoli       1/2 cup radishes          1/4 cup raisins
2 cherry tomatoes      4 cherry tomatoes         6 cherry tomatoes

Measure servings of fruits and vegetables like this:

                1 serving     =    3/4 cup (6 ounces) 100% juice
                              =    1 cup leafy greens
                              =    1/2 cup canned fruit or cooked vegetable
                              =    1/4 cup dried fruit
                              =    handful of raisins
                              =    1 piece of fruit



Use  the  greater than (>), less than (<), or equals (=)  sign  to
tell  if Sarah, Omar, and Steve have eaten a full serving of  each
vegetable.

     1.  Sarah's carrots _______ 1 serving
     2.  Steve's lettuce _______ 1 serving
     3.  Sarah's lettuce _______ 1 serving
     4.  Omar's spinach  _______ 1 serving
     5.  Steve's raisins _______ 1 serving

Compare the amount of lettuce in each salad.

     6.  Sarah's  _______ Steve's
     7.  Steve's _______ Omar's
     8.  Omar's _______ Sarah's

Fill  in  the names to make a true statement about the  amount  of
lettuce in each salad.

      9. __________________ < _________________ < _______________

     10. __________________ < _________________ > _______________

     11. __________________ > _________________ < _______________

Make  each  salad in the Salad Factory and compare the  Vitamin  A
content.

          Salad A                                    Salad B

          Romaine lettuce                            Iceberg lettuce
          cantaloupe                                 cauliflower
          carrots                                    strawberries
          tomato                                     grapes

          Salad A _______ Salad B in Vitamin A content.

5 A Day Adventures: Math Idea # 5