What It Is
PRISM: Grand Opening is a 10-session, 15–20 hour hands-on Math Lab where students become new team members at PRISM Pet Supply, preparing for the grand opening of a new store in Petville. Students design blueprints, build display tables, create parking lots, make store signs, and more — all while learning perimeter, area, and multiplication.
Activities use physical materials, such as oversized Petville maps (11×17), wood blocks (½″ and ¾″), and custom PRISM rulers. All materials are consumable — students keep their work.
The Story
Students are hired as new team members at PRISM Pet Supply. Over 10 sessions they design the store from the ground up: making ID cards and a floor plan, choosing a location, designing pet play zones, creating a parking lot, stocking shelves, building display tables, making an aquarium castle, designing store signs, writing and performing a commercial, and finding the missing dogs.
Each task requires students to use measurement and area concepts in authentic, creative ways. The curriculum is taught through a web-based slide portal at algebrastudio.org — Howie is the on-screen instructor in embedded videos. No special training is required.
Who It's For
- 3rd grade teachers looking for Tier 1 supplemental curriculum in measurement and area
- 4th–5th grade teachers who need review and enrichment
- Afterschool and summer program directors who want turnkey STEM programming
- Curriculum coordinators looking for hands-on, standards-aligned supplements that work alongside any core curriculum
What's in the Kit
- Oversized Petville maps (11×17)
- Wood blocks (½″ and ¾″)
- Custom PRISM rulers
- Department grid sheets
- Blueprint and shelf posters
- Name cards, stickers, construction paper, glue sticks
- Chenille stems, dice, tongue depressors, clear labels
- MATHKINS™ stuffed dogs
- Quick reference booklet
10 Sessions at a Glance
How It Works
Every session runs through a web-based slide portal at algebrastudio.org. Howie is the on-screen instructor in embedded video mini-lessons — he introduces each task, demonstrates the math, and guides students through the activity. No special training is required. Open the kit, follow the slides, and go.
Sessions are designed to run between 45 and 90 minutes, with some extending longer at the teacher's discretion. The curriculum works as a daily block (3–4 weeks), a twice-weekly enrichment (5–10 weeks), or an afterschool/summer program.
Sample Lesson
Standards by Session
PRISM: Grand Opening covers measurement, area, perimeter, and multiplication standards already in your grade 3 scope. It supplements any core curriculum and gives students a chance to apply the math you're already teaching.
| # | What Students Do | Standards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ID cards & floor plan — area by tiling; area as additive | 3.MD.5, 3.MD.7 |
| 2 | Choosing a location — measure length; scaled bar graph | 2.MD.A.1, 3.MD.B.3 |
| 3 | Pet play zones — concrete models for area; products | 3.OA.1, 3.MD.5 |
| 4 | Parking lot — perimeter of polygon; models for area | 3.MD.8, 3.MD.7 |
| 5 | Stocking shelves — area models; multiplication; additive | 3.MD.5, 3.MD.7 |
| 6 | Display tables — combine objects in arrays | 3.OA.A.3 |
| 7 | Aquarium castle — add/subtract; multiplication | 3.NBT.2, 3.OA.7 |
| 8 | Store signs — perimeter; area models; multiplication | 3.MD.5–8 |
| 9 | Commercial — add/subtract; multiplication | 3.NBT.2, 3.OA.7 |
| 10 | Missing dogs — perimeter; area; multiplication | 3.MD.5–8 |
Career & Workplace Connections
Each PRISM session connects to a real-world career role that uses the same math students are learning. For every session, we provide a one-page Workplace Connection brief that introduces a professional — such as a real estate analyst who evaluates locations using area and cost-per-square-foot data, or a retail merchandiser who designs store displays using arrays and spatial reasoning. These briefs give CTE directors and career-readiness coordinators a concrete way to show students how measurement, area, perimeter, and multiplication appear in careers across retail operations, logistics, marketing, construction, and urban planning — making PRISM a natural fit for programs that integrate academic content with career and technical education pathways.
Kit Sizes
All three sizes run the same 10-session curriculum. Teams are 4 students each.
Starter Kit
Trial size. Two departments get the full PRISM experience.
- 2 department material packs
- Petville maps, PRISM rulers, tiles, cubes
- MATHKINS™ stuffed dogs (8)
4-Team Kit
For smaller classes, intervention groups, afterschool programs.
- 4 department material packs
- Petville maps, PRISM rulers, tiles, cubes
- MATHKINS™ stuffed dogs (16)
Grand Opening Kit
Full-class including materials for all 7 PRISM departments.
- 7 department material packs
- Petville maps, PRISM rulers, tiles, cubes
- MATHKINS™ stuffed dogs (28)
Cost Per Student
2-Team Kit: $295 ÷ 8 students = $37 per student. 4-Team Kit: $595 ÷ 16 students = $37 per student. Grand Opening Kit: $995 ÷ 28 students = $36 per student. 15–20 hours of instruction. All materials are consumable — students take their work home.