Math Stars
Math Stars: A Problem-Solving Newsletter Grade 6
Think, question, brainstorm, and make your way through a newsletter full of puzzles and word problems. The resource includes 10 different newsletters, all with interesting problems, to give class members an out-of-the box...
Math Stars
Math Stars: a Problem-Solving Newsletter Grade 7
Put on your thinking caps because middle school math has never been more interesting in this huge resource full of thought provoking questions. Written as a newsletter, the resource has 10 two-page newsletters with a variety of...
Education Development Center
Logic of Fractions
Before diving into operations with fractions, learners discover the foundation of fractions and how they interact with one another. Exactly as the title says, logic of fractions is the main goal of a resource that shows pupils how...
Intel
Forensics: Get a Clue
Although the methods are all scientific, forensic science was started by police officers rather than scientists, who relied on observation and common sense. Young detectives use many tools to solve crimes around the school in a...
Noyce Foundation
Double Down
Double the dog ears, double the fun. Five problems provide increasing challenges with non-linear growth. Topics include dog ears, family trees and population data, and geometric patterns.
Noyce Foundation
Perfect Pair
What makes number pairs perfect? The resource provides five problems regarding perfect pairs of numbers, the definition of which changes in complexity with each task. Solutions require pupils to apply number sense and operations, as well...
Noyce Foundation
Lyle's Triangles
Try five problems on triangles. Levels A and B focus on shapes that can be created from right triangles. Level C touches upon the relationship between the area of a six-pointed star and the area of each triangle of which it is composed....
Noyce Foundation
Diminishing Return
Challenge individuals to compete as many tasks as possible. Lower-level tasks have pupils apply costs and rates to solve problems. Upper-level tasks add algebraic reasoning and conditional probability to the tasks.
Curated OER
Summer Machines Activity: How Can We Move This Box of Blocks?
Students discover there's more than one way to move a heavy load. In this problem solving instructional activity, students use observation and problem-solving skills as they experiment with simple machines in order to transport loads.
Education Development Center
Thinking Things Through Thoroughly
Problem solving is a skill of its own. Learners use a variety of problems to encourage mental math and logic to get the correct answer. Guiding questions are provided along the way to encourage the right way of thinking to help tackle...
Education Development Center
Algebraic Habits of Mind
Math really is just one big puzzle waiting to be solved. Show learners that math can be intriguing and provide them with visually engaging problems and puzzles. The focus is on solving simple equations and looking at expressions.
Curated OER
Yummy Math
Young mathematicians use bags of Skittles to help them gain practice in graphing and organizing data. They work in pairs, and after they have counted and organized their Skittles, they access a computer program which allows them to print...
Curated OER
Outdoor Activities/Problem Solving: Home Design
Students create with sticks and stones. In this early childhood lesson plan, students use their problem-solving skills to make houses out of items they find outdoors.
Curated OER
Two Squares are Equal
This problem is sure to get your young mathematicians thinking. The idea sounds simple: one equation, solve it as many ways as you can. This is meant to get at a deeper understanding of solving quadratic equations, including some more...
Curated OER
Energy Audit
Students collect data about energy usage and use mathematical calculations to analyze their data. In this energy conservation and statistics math lesson, students survey their homes to complete an energy usage worksheet. Students...
Noyce Foundation
Piece it Together
Score some problems all related to soccer balls. The first few problems focus on pattern blocks to see relationships between figures. More advanced problems focus on actual soccer balls, the patterns on the balls, and their volumes and...
Noyce Foundation
Fractured Numbers
Don't use use a fraction of the resource — use it all! Scholars attempt a set of five problem-of-the-month challenges on fractions. Levels A and B focus on creating fractions and equivalent fractions, while Levels C, D, and E touch on...
Noyce Foundation
Part and Whole
Now you'll never have trouble cutting a cake evenly again. Here is a set of five problems all about partitioning shapes into a given number of pieces and identifying the fractional amount of each piece. As learners progress through the...
EngageNY
Graphing Quadratic Functions from Factored Form
How do you graph a quadratic function efficiently? Explore graphing quadratic functions by writing in intercept form with a lesson that makes a strong connection to the symmetry of the graph and its key features before individuals write...
Mathematics Vision Project
Module 2: Logarithmic Functions
Build a solid understanding of logarithmic functions and equations. Five lessons in the module begin by developing the concept of a logarithm. The next lessons address graphing logarithmic functions, logarithmic properties, and solving...
K20 LEARN
Simply Elementary, Watson!
Explore the process of inductive and deductive reasoning. A collaborative lesson has some groups apply an inductive approach and others a deductive approach. Through class discussion, scholars compare their processes and discuss...
Google
Surveys and Estimating Large Quantities
Looking for an estimation activity a bit more involved than the typical "guess the number of jellybeans in the jar" game? Here, learners use a picture to estimate the number of people at a large event, look for potential problems with...
Curated OER
Applying Algebra to the Life of Middle Schoolers
Middle schoolers will read word problems, create questions, and come up with solutions. They are taught to use previous knowledge combined with current content to solve problems logically and algebraically.
Bowland
Alien Invasion
Win the war of the worlds! Scholars solve a variety of problems related to an alien invasion. They determine where spaceships have landed on a coordinate map, devise a plan to avoid the aliens, observe the aliens, and break a code to...