Big Wonder Math Challenge

Students in Grades 3–5 are invited to explore some of these “Big Wonder” math questions! These open-ended problems can be solved independently or tackled together as a family. There is no single “right” answer—solutions will depend on the variables and assumptions students choose to explore. The goal is to have fun with mathematical reasoning and, along the way, spark new “Big Wonder” questions of your own!

The questions below are adapted from Laura Overdeck's book How Many Guinea Pigs Can Fit on a Plane? That book provides solutions to a lot of these questions. However, I'm more curious about how students approach the problem, including the variables and factors they will consider and focus on, and the tools and resources they will use to help them find a solution. I hope they have fun working through some of these questions and that it may bring about some interesting conversations in your home and spark more questions for them to consider! Use the linked graphic organizer to help track of all the mathematical thinking. 

Big Wonder Math Challenge

1. How many guinea pigs can fit on a plane?

2. How many birds would it take to pick me up and fly with me?

3. How many bees does it take to make one jar of honey?

4. If a ladybug were me-size, how many dots would it have? 

5. If I were as strong as an ant, how much weight could I pick up?

6. What moves faster, a hopping bunny or a running person? 

7. If all the elephants in the world stood in a line, how long would the line of elephants be? 

8. How many raindrops does it take to fill a glass of water?

9. How many spider webs does it take to weigh the same amount as a banana?

10. How many leaves are on a whole tree? 

11. How far are the clouds from us? 

12. What would 85 pounds of chocolate look like on a cocoa plant? 

13. How many pieces of gum can stick me to the wall and hold me there? 

14. How many balloons would it take to carry me into the air?

15. How many words can you say in a day? 

16. When will I be a billion seconds old?

17. How many cars can fit on the Mass Pike at the same time? 

18. How many times would the wheels of a car have to turn to travel all the way around the world once?

19. How many people would it take to hold hands and circle the Earth?

20. How many soccer balls would fit inside a hollow Earth? 

21. How many tennis balls would it take to fill the moon? How many ladders would it take to get us to the moon?