Concord Consortium
Zero Coupon Bond
There are zero reasons not to learn about zero coupon bonds. Given information about the interest rate and closing price of a zero coupon bond, future investors determine the purchase price of the bond. They then consider the...
Concord Consortium
Two Pounds to Go
How hard can it be to measure out two pounds? A short performance task introduces a situation where a balance scale is broken. It gives a method for measuring out two pounds and asks learners to evaluate the procedure. They must prove...
Concord Consortium
Vending Machine
Let the resource quench your thirst for knowledge, like a vending machine that dispenses drinks. Future computer scientists develop an algorithm to identify the fewest number of coins that a vending machine could use in creating change....
Concord Consortium
Walled-Up Parabolas
Jump at the chance to use parabolas. Young mathematicians apply trigonometry to explore the trajectory of a ball in different situations. Some walls cause the ball to bounce, so participants must consider all possibilities.
Mascil Project
Parachute Food Drop
Drop a perfect project into your lesson plans. Groups use different building materials to create models of parachutes for food drops. After testing out their prototypes, they make improvements to their designs.
American Statistical Association
Confidence in Salaries in Petroleum Engineering
Just how confident can we be with statistics calculated from a sample? Learners take this into account as they look at data from a sample of petroleum engineer salaries. They analyze the effect sample size has on a margin of error and...
American Statistical Association
More Confidence in Salaries in Petroleum Engineering
Making inferences isn't an exact science. Using data about salaries, learners investigate the accuracy of their inferences. Their analyses includes simulations and randomization tests as well as population means.
American Statistical Association
Chunk it!
Chunking information helps you remember that information longer. A hands-on activity tests this theory by having learners collect and analyze their own data. Following their conclusions, they conduct randomization simulations to test...
Statistics Education Web
Which Hand Rules?
Reaction rates vary between your dominant and nondominant hand ... or do they? Young scholars conduct an experiment collecting data to answer just that. After collecting data, they calculate the p-value to determine if the difference is...
Statistics Education Web
The Egg Roulette Game
Hard boiled or raw? Which egg will you get? A hands-on activity has scholars explore the impact of conditional probability. Based on a skit from the Tonight Show, pupils model the selection of the two types of eggs using beads. They...
5280 Math
Go with the Flow
Round and round they go ... where they stop, only scholars will know. By writing systems of equations, classes determine the number of cars a roundabout can handle given specific constraints. Systems use up to six variables and become...
5280 Math
Polygon Polynomials
Patterns in polygons lead to patterns in polynomials. Presented with a series of polygons, individuals create polynomial expressions to represent their patterns. The algebra project consists of nine problems that incorporate polynomial...
5280 Math
Pythagorean Triples
From Pythagorean triples to the unit circle. Learners use the Pythagorean Theorem to find Pythagorean triples and then relate their work to the unit circle in a fun algebra project. Their discovery that x^2+y^2 is always equal to one on...
5280 Math
Interesting Times
Gain a little interest in functions with a real-life task. Young scholars analyze home loan data with a geometric sequence and series. They use the models to make predictions about the total loan payments at certain intervals in a useful...
5280 Math
Aquarium Equations
Take a look at linear functions in a new environment. A three-stage algebra project first asks learners to model the salt concentration of an aquarium using linear functions. Then, using iterations, pupils create a set of input-output...
5280 Math
Multiplication Table Algebra
Patterns, patterns, everywhere! Young scholars examine the multiplication table to identify patterns. Their exploration leads to an understanding of the difference of squares and sum of cubes by the completion of the algebra project.
Mascil Project
Drug Concentration
Different medications leave the body at different rates, and how people take them determines their effectiveness. Learners investigate this effectiveness by charting the concentration of a given medication in the body. Using exponential...
Mascil Project
Amberhavn: New Bus Network
Public transportation is an important aspect of any growing city. Collaborative groups work to redesign a system for a city in need of restructuring. Young scholars design a route, create a timetable, and incorporate a quality control...
Education Closet
West Side Shifts
Combine math, language arts, music, and dance with an activity focused on "America" from West Side Story. After listening to the song, learners compare the film to Romeo and Juliet, analyze the song's meter, design choreography, plan...
Council for Economic Education
Understanding a Balance Sheet
Read any financial website or book, and it is bound to discuss the words asset and liability. But what do these words actually mean to the class? The resource effectively explains by using multiple formats and techniques, including...
Concord Consortium
Adding the Sines
It's a sign! Scholars analyze sine functions for patterns in their periods. The exploration advances beyond a simple function to the combination of two functions with even and odd coefficients. Their goal is to find a pattern between the...
CCSS Math Activities
Patchwork
Patch up any misconceptions about writing functions. Scholars undertake a performance task that has them first examine a pattern in patchwork cushions. They represent the patterns in triangular and rectangular blocks using a table and as...
CCSS Math Activities
Golf Balls
Land on the green with a fun resource. A short performance task asks pupils to consider the volume of containers that hold golf balls. They determine the percentage of empty space of the container for different numbers of golf balls.
CCSS Math Activities
Ferris Wheel
Wheel the resource right into your classroom. Young mathematicians use given dimensions of a Ferris wheel to write a height versus time function. They use their functions to answer a set of questions about the Ferris wheel.