MARS - Mathematics Assessment Resource Service
Applying Properties of Exponents
The properties of exponents are all linked together and it is your mathematicians' job to discover and apply those rules. The comprehensive activity begins with a pre-assessment task to check for prior knowledge and then goes into a...
National Wildlife Federation
What is DBH?
When measuring the circumference of a tree, does it matter how high you place the measuring tape? Most scholars have never considered this question, but scientists know that measurement techniques must be standardized. The 13th lesson in...
Illustrative Mathematics
The Lighthouse Problem
Long considered the symbol of safe harbor and steadfast waiting, the lighthouse gets a mathematical treatment. The straightforward question of distance to the horizon is carefully presented, followed by a look into the different...
Education Development Center
Area and Multiplication
Take some intellectual fun and apply it to the concept of multiplying expressions together. A guide models how to break two numbers into an area model to multiply together in pieces similar to FOILing. The rest of the puzzles consist of...
EngageNY
Four Interesting Transformations of Functions (Part 1)
Understanding how functions transform is a key concept in mathematics. This introductory instructional activity makes a strong connection between the function, table, and graph when exploring transformations. While the resource uses...
EngageNY
Modeling with Quadratic Functions (part 2)
How many points are needed to define a unique parabola? Individuals work with data to answer this question. Ultimately, they determine the quadratic model when given three points. The concept is applied to data from a dropped object,...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Attitude Determines Altitude
A fabulous lesson which combines mathematics with space science. Middle schoolers work in cooperative groups in order to research early astronauts and their accomplishments. They look at a variety of rocket and space shuttle designs, and...
University of Wisconsin
What’s a Square Foot Anyway? Laying Out the Design Plan
Clever! Participants don square-foot cardboard shoes to mark out the rain garden plot that they have spent the last few weeks designing. In this way, they are practicing scale modeling as well! Note that this lesson is part of a unit,...
New York State Education Department
TASC Transition Curriculum: Workshop 7
Designed specifically for math instructors, the seventh workshop of a 15-part series allows time to explore Webb's DOK, ponder open-ended questions, and create lessons to apply what is learned. Teachers craft high-quality math problems...
Illustrative Mathematics
Running on the Football Field
Make your class into Pythagorean theorem fanatics in no time. What a great resource to get your sports enthusiasts into the math game! Read the commentary so you can you can strategize how to apply the three math practices.
Mascil Project
Circular Pave-Stones Backyard
Pack the lesson into your plans. Young mathematicians learn about packing and optimization with the context of circular paving stones. They use coins to model the paving stones, and then apply knowledge of circles and polygons to...
Illustrative Mathematics
Fixing the Furnace
This comprehensive resource applies simultaneous equations to a real-life problem. Though the commentary starts with a graph, some home consumers may choose to begin with a table. A graph does aid learners to visualize the shift of one...
Curated OER
Do Two Points Always Determine an Exponential Function?
Algebra learners explore, analyze and build an exponential equation given its form and a specific point that exists on the function in this task. The last question asks learners to apply their ideas to an exponential equation given two...
Curated OER
Domains
Your algebra learners work to address the order of operations applied to an expression's input variable and the limitations that may be created because of it. This simple task of a few very well-chosen exercises is elegant in it's way of...
University of California
Energy and Biomass Pyramids
Young scientists play tag as they act out the food pyramid in the ocean ecosystem. Energy circles pass from the smaller prey to the predators and at the end of the activity, a data chart and analysis questions allow pupils to apply their...
Virginia Department of Education
Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
Introduce pupils to the two types of reasoning, inductive and deductive. Classmates work in pairs or small groups to learn the difference between the two and apply these reasonings to develop valid conclusions.
Curated OER
Devising a Measure for Correlation
How well does your class understand the concept of correlation? Use an activity to explore different methods of calculating correlation. Working alone and then in groups, your class will make decisions on what math to apply to the...
Curated OER
Taxes and Sales
Collaborative discussions around this retail store problem will be taxing. Calculating discount and tax and the order of the operations are used to motivate an opportunity for learners to make a convincing argument using algebraic...
Mathalicious
The Fall of Javert
Falling off a bridge might not sound like your idea of a good math problem, but incorporating the final scene of Les Misérables is sure to spark interest. The goal is to use the time Javert fell off the bridge to determine how high he...
California Academy of Science
Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp
More than 100 cities around the world have shifted from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Scholars investigate a city wanting to make this switch, but needs help determining how to make the shift. Groups consider all options,...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Investigating School Safety and Slope
Learners investigate the slope of various stairways through a "news report" approach and employ mathematical knowledge of applied slope to report on wheelchair accessibility and adherence to Americans with Disabilities Act. They...
Illustrative Mathematics
Equal Area Triangles on the Same Base II
A deceptively simple question setup leads to a number of attack methods and a surprisingly sophisticated solution set in this open-ended problem. Young geometers of different strengths can go about defining the solutions graphically,...
Illustrative Mathematics
How Many Cells Are in the Human Body?
Investigating the large numbers of science is the task in a simple but deep activity. Given a one-sentence problem set-up and some basic assumptions, the class sets off on an open-ended investigation that really gives some context to all...
Illustrative Mathematics
Regular Tessellations of the Plane
Bringing together the young artists and the young organizers in your class, this lesson takes that popular topic of tessellations and gives it algebraic roots. After covering a few basic properties and definitions, learners attack the...