The perfect place to do one's math homework? Outside, of course. The third of seven lessons in the Understanding Science and Engineering unit focuses on solar energy. Learners investigate solar-powered calculators and discover how solar...

Combine math and science with fun in the sun! Scientists build a solar gnomon using reusable materials to calculate relative air mass. Mathematicians measure the pole's shadow and use the data to solve for relative air mass....

Your young economists will be amazed at the effect of compounding interest more frequently in this collaborative task about making sound financial choices. Learners are walked through the calculations of a couple of examples and then...

Does doubling mean everything doubles? Learners adjust the scale factor between two rectangles. Using the calculated measurements, pupils investigate the ratios between the lengths, perimeters, and areas of the rectangles.

Graph it! Investigate transformations with a graphing calculator. Pupils graph sets of linear functions on the same set of axes. They determine how changes in the equation of a linear function result in changes in the graph.

Hands-on investigation of Riemann sums becomes possible without intensive arithmetic gymnastics with this interactive lesson plan. Learners manipulate online graphing tools to develop and test theories about right, left, and...

By rolling marbles down a six-foot length of track, physical scientists determine how much energy is lost to heat. It is recommended that you opt for the foam pipe insulation track because more friction slows the marble, allowing...

Young geologists get a glimpse beneath the earth's surface in this plate tectonics investigation. After first learning about the different layers of the earth and the constant movement of its plates, young...

Introduces your class to the types of loads experienced by a bridge. Groups calculate the ultimate load combinations to determine the maximum load requirement. Using this information, builders then determine the amount of material...

It takes a strong foundation to build a house and a stronger one for a bridge. This resource presents the effects of geology and soil on bridge foundations. Working in groups, the class investigates the interaction of shallow and deep...

Talk about a reality check! High schoolers complete a lifestyle survey indicating their preference for housing, entertainment, etc., and then calculate the salary required to support those choices. Finally, they research the types of...

Does your bank pay you for allowing them to hold your money? Class members investigate three different ways money can make more money. Topics include certificates of deposit, statement savings accounts, and money market accounts....

Objects may be more linear than they appear. Scholars investigate the relationship between the number of bone mineral density scanners in the US and time. Once they take the natural logarithm of the number of scanners, a linear...

Serve up a rate of percents. The Math at the Core resource investigates the percent of daily value of sodium and saturated fats in different foods. Pupils determine the number of serving sizes they eat of popular snack foods and...

This fourth of twelve units in a series continues the investigation of functions through equations and inequalities. However, the modular nature of the lessons in the section make this an excellent resource for any curriculum...

In this third of a twelve-part series, the focus moves from using matrices to solving systems of equations with substitution and elimination, including more than two dimensions and variables in equations, and analyzing statistical data....

Calculate the movement and properties of planets like professional astronomers! Scholars use Kepler's third law to find Mercury and Venus's distance from the sun. Using changes in brightness of distant stars and Kepler's third law,...

Investigate patterns in the binomial theorem. Pupils begin by reviewing the coefficients from Pascal's triangle. They look at the individual terms, the sums of the coefficients on a row, and the alternating sum of each row. Individuals...

After investigating the US Environmental Protection Agency's climate change website, your environmental studies students discuss greenhouse gas emissions. They use an online interactive tool to look at data from power production...

Probability, especially conditional probability, can be a slippery concept for young statisticians.  Statements that seem self-evident on the surface often require a daunting amount of calculations to explicate, or turn out to be...

Investigate the construction of the electric circuit with a thorough presentation that provides a solid background for each type of circuit. After introducing key vocabulary, the lesson goes on to explain circuit design.

Studies show that obesity is now a global problem. But how are researchers measuring obesity? Young scientists investigate the myriad of methods for measuring body fat through a presentation. From hands-on to high-tech, viewers learn...

Scholars complete the California CareerZone's Quick Assessment to identify their dream job. The assessment calculates responses to provide a list of careers. Learners choose one from their list and discuss it with their peers. 

To understand an informal derivation of the formula to find the volume of a sphere, young mathematicians investigate the volume of a sphere about the volume of a right circular cylinder. They develop the formula for the volume of a...