CCSS Math Activities
Out of the Swimming Pool
Out of the swimming pool and into the math classroom! Young mathematicians analyze two linear functions representing the number of liters of water in a pool as it drains over time. They must evaluate functions, interpret function...
Mascil Project
Water Quality
How do you prevent the spread of water-borne illness in large public swimming areas? Scholars discover the challenges to identifying safe water through an inquiry experiment. They then produce posters sharing their understanding of water...
101 Questions
25 Billion Apps
Learn to use mathematics to your advantage! Using linear modeling, scholars predict the date and time the Apple App Store reaches 25 billion downloads. Considering the prize for the 25 billionth download was a $10,000 gift card, modeling...
101 Questions
Joulies
Does your coffee get too cold too fast? Joulies just might be your answer! Learners use experimental data to make a conclusion about how effective Joulies are at keeping coffee at the ideal temperature. A video shows the graph of the...
Concord Consortium
An Algebraic Oversight
Tackle a common misconception using a performance task. Dividing by a variable to eliminate a variable may seem like a good idea, but simplifying the variable eliminates solutions as well. Learners develop algebraic and graphical support...
Concord Consortium
All-in-All Problems
Graphs, functions, symbols, and more! Use these strategies to model everything from the flow of a river to the number of cars passing a toll booth. Presented differently but solved similarly, learners consider five different scenarios...
Concord Consortium
Acid Test
This isn't your typical basic lesson—it's more acidic! Learners use pH information to determine the hydroxide ion concentration of different substances and then use these values to analyze information. The calculations require...
Concord Consortium
A Linear System
Young mathematicians have the hang of graphing with integer coefficients now. Can they generalize what they've learned to equations with variable coefficients? The task asks individuals to verify the solution to the system is (x,y) and...
Concord Consortium
Betweenness III
Don't let a little challenge get between your pupils and their learning! Scholars compare two absolute value functions to recognize patterns and use them to build their own functions with outputs that are between the given. They then...
Concord Consortium
Betweenness II
Read between the curves ... quadratic curves! Young scholars analyze the graphs of two quadratic functions by writing their own function whose outputs are between the two given. They then consider intersecting quadratic functions and...
Concord Consortium
Betweenness I
Just between us, this is a pretty cool lesson! Given two functions with the same slope, learners write three new functions whose outputs are all between the given functions. The question is open-ended, allowing pupils to explore the...
Concord Consortium
Be Well
How much do you spend on healthcare each year? Data shows the expenditures in the US rise significantly each year. Young scholars use the data to calculate a rate of change over a 30-year period and look for—as well as provide— possible...
Concord Consortium
Always, Sometimes, Never
Do your learners always, sometimes, or never remember the properties of the segments in triangles? Get that number closer to always with a creative lesson analyzing all four segments. Scholars consider a statement about one of the...
Mascil Project
Container Logistics
Here's a creative instructional activity that lets pupils be creative as well! While considering many different factors, learners devise a plan to increase the efficiency of container shipments. The design of the activity encourages...
Council for Economic Education
Using an Excel Checkbook
High school is the time that many scholars get their first jobs. Help young entrepreneurs apply economic principles to crucial skills for their new jobs and for functioning in society in general. They use Excel to balance a checkbook by...
Project Maths
Introduction to Probability
Take a chance with an activity sure to improve your class's skills. An introductory lesson focuses on probability and chance. It shows how probability is always a value between zero and one, i.e., the probability of an event is always...
Council for Economic Education
Preparing a 1040EZ Income Tax Form
Some of us never feel like we know how to do our taxes! Help scholars understand the process early by using an informative resource. They fill out their own tax forms in a simulation activity and view multiple resources to learn even...
101 Questions
Sacre Coeur Funicular
Rise to the challenge of trigonometry. Watching a video of an ascending funicular at the Sacre Coeur in Paris sets the stage for a challenging task. Young mathematicians use a given diagram, along with the concepts of slope and...
101 Questions
Laying Sod
Lay out a firm understanding of trigonometry. Scholars watch a video recording of a worker laying sod on a lawn. Given the dimensions of each piece of sod and the lawn, they determine how many pieces of sod are necessary. Trigonometry...
101 Questions
Catcher to 2nd
Who's on second? Young mathematicians use a diagram of a baseball field to find the distance a catcher must throw to reach second base. A brief video of such a play during a baseball game sets the stage for the assignment.
101 Questions
Lost in the City with a Clinometer
Come look at trigonometry from a different angle. To begin a simple activity, scholars view a video of someone using a clinometer to find the angle of elevation to the top of a building. They then use a diagram that shows the building's...
101 Questions
The Island Green
The task will fit your needs to a tee. Given pictures and dimensions of a golf green, future golfers determine the distance it would take for a golf ball to land on the green. Of course, we want some mathematical connections, so they...
101 Questions
Best Reflection
Which is the best reflection of them all? Given four diagrams, pupils determine which one shows the most accurate reflection of a quadrilateral. Two images provide the distances of each vertex from the line of reflection, as well as the...
Project Maths
Correlation Coefficient
Of course, there might be a correlation! Young mathematicians investigate several different data sets, create scatter plots, and determine any correlation. They consider whether a causation exists between any of the variables in question.