Illustrative Mathematics
Words to Expressions 1
Designed as a follow-up to the lesson plan titled Watch Out for Parenthesis 1, this activity asks young learners to write an equation for the calculation described with words rather than numbers and symbols. The treasure that 5th...
Illustrative Mathematics
Margie Buys Apples
One of the most common, everyday applications of math is dealing with money. This single problem calculating how much change Margie receives is more involved than it appears at first glance. An understanding of how fractions and decimals...
Virginia Department of Education
Matching Representations
Pupils explore the many representations of linear functions by completing a matching activity to connect the multiple representations of a function. They then reinforce the connection as individuals create the different representations...
Balanced Assessment
The Triskaidecaphobia Conference
Triskaidecaphobia is an extreme superstition to the number 13—and ironically the answer to the word problem is 13! Presented with a series of descriptive data, individuals analyze the data to determine the population size. They...
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
Factoring a Degree Six Polynomial
Within collaborative groups, scholars factor a degree six polynomial. They can factor the polynomial using many different strategies — a great way to prompt mathematical discussion.
Balanced Assessment
Plenty of Pentagons
Why are only four colors needed to color webs from regular pentagons, not five? An assessment task requires young mathematicians to first construct regular pentagons using a compass and straightedge, then has them consider a shape...