EngageNY
Wishful Thinking—Does Linearity Hold? (Part 1)
Not all linear functions are linear transformations — show your class the difference. The first instructional activity in a unit on linear transformations and complex numbers that spans 32 segments introduces the concept of linear...
Organization for Educational Technology & Curriculum
Introduction to Variables and Algebraic Expressions
Begin your next algebra unit with this introductory lesson on variables and algebraic expressions. This plan requires a SMART board and includes a SMART notebook file. The file contains a guiding question and two learning activities that...
Curated OER
Is Bigger Always Better?
Explore rational numbers with the young mathematicians in your class. They will investigate decimals, fractions, and percents before ordering and comparing rational numbers. This multi-day unit includes differentiation activities and...
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...
Curated OER
Algebra I: Linear Functions
Using rates from a rental car company, young mathematicians graph data, explore linear relationships, and discuss the role of slope and the y-intercept. This lesson allows for the discussion of independent and dependent variables, as...
National Security Agency
Partying with Proportions and Percents
Examine ratios and proportions in several real-world scenarios. Children will calculate unit rates, work with proportions and percentages as they plan a party, purchase produce, and take a tally. This lesson plan recommends five...
Curated OER
Algebra 1: Slope as Rate
Learners solve problems with slopes. In this algebra lesson, students identify the slope of a line and relate it to the rate of change. They graph their lines on the TI and observe changes in the lines.
Curated OER
Algebra on the Farm
Learners develop algebraic equations to solve problems involving farm animals. They watch a video, use manipulatives to determine the number of birds and pigs on the farm, and create original problems for their classmates to solve.
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.
EngageNY
Analyzing Graphs—Water Usage During a Typical Day at School
Connect your pupils to the problem by presenting a situation with which they can identify. Individuals analyze a graph of water use at a school by reasoning and making conclusions about the day. The lesson emphasizes units and labels of...
Annenberg Foundation
Skeeters Are Overrunning the World
Skeeters are used to model linear and exponential population growth in a wonderfully organized lesson plan including teachers' and students' notes, an assignment, graphs, tables, and equations. Filled with constant deep-reaching...
Howard County Schools
Drawing Inverses
An Algebra II lesson draws the connection between the exponential function and its inverse. By graphing an exponential function and using tables and a calculator, students graph the logarithmic function. The plan comes with a launch,...
Curated OER
Using Algebra to Explore Problem Space
Students apply their knowledge of math by rewriting word problems using equations. In this word problem instructional activity, students build upon previous knowledge as they set up the correct steps to solve word problems. This...
EngageNY
Linear Equations in Disguise
In the eighth segment of a 33-part unit, learners look at equations that do not appear to be linear at first glance. The equations are proportions where the numerators and denominators may have more than one term. To round out the...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Modeling Motion: Rolling Cups
Connect the size of a rolling cup to the size of circle it makes. Pupils view videos of cups of different sizes rolling in a circle. Using the videos and additional data, they attempt to determine a relationship between cup measurements...
Curated OER
Caterpillar Connections
Third graders investigate numerical and geometric patterns and express them in words or numbers. In this algebraic reasoning lesson, 3rd graders analyze the structure of the pattern and how it changes or grows, organize information...
Illustrative Mathematics
Equal Area Triangles on the Same Base II
A deceptively simple question setup leads to a number of attack methods and a surprisingly sophisticated solution set in this open-ended problem. Young geometers of different strengths can go about defining the solutions graphically,...
EngageNY
Justifying the Geometric Effect of Complex Multiplication
The 14th activity in the unit has the class prove the nine general cases of the geometric representation of complex number multiplication. Class members determine the modulus of the product and hypothesize the relationship for the...
Curated OER
Cube Coloring Problem
Upper elementary and middle schoolers describe the various features of unit cubes, such as edges, corners, and faces. They also discuss how to represent measurements of a cube using exponents before engaging in various thinking and...
National Security Agency
A Balancing Act: Solving Multi-Step Equations
Wow! Put on that thinking cap and solve multi-step equations. To solve equations, learners review the use of the distributive property and combining like terms. This three-day activity comes with about 20 pages of worksheets, warm-ups,...
Curated OER
Introducing Trigonometry
Eleventh graders explore the three basic trigonometric functions. In this trigonometry/Algebra II lesson, 11th graders use GeoGebra and the unit circle to define the ratios of sides is a right triangles as they examine the full domain...
Education Development Center
Area and Multiplication
Take some intellectual fun and apply it to the concept of multiplying expressions together. A guide models how to break two numbers into an area model to multiply together in pieces similar to FOILing. The rest of the puzzles consist of...
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Shifting Linear Equations in Function Notation
Time for a shift in thinking! Learners examine translations of linear functions. They use function notation to describe the translation and make connections to the graph.
Curated OER
Mathematics Within: Algebraic Processes and Its Connections to Geometry
Students analyze multiple strategies of multiplication: clustering, area model, breaking apart/decomposing, etc. They create their own strategies to approaching multiplication problems and share them with their classmates. Discussion...