Big Kid Science
Measuring Shadows Using an Ancient Method
How did ancient peoples determine the height of really tall objects? Young scientists and mathematicians explore the concept of using shadows to measure height in a hands-on experiment. Paired pupils measure shadows, then calculate the...
Curated OER
Ancient American Art and Geometry
Students explore the relationship between geometry and ancient American art. They see how to recognize geometric properties in specific works and explain how these properties contribute to their meaning and artistic merit.
Curated OER
The Ancient Maya
Students explore the culture of the Mayans through a variety of activities. In this lesson about Maya, students analyze pictures in books and on websites, produce scale models of Maya architecture, and create Maya mosaics. Students study...
School District of Palm Beach County
Egyptian Hieroglyphs
Humans have been developing number systems for thousands of years, and while they can be very different from one another, they can also share surprising similarities. Take your young mathematicians on a journey through the history...
Curated OER
Ancient Peoples of the Middle East
This is an excellent multidisciplinary lesson designed by Scientific American. It provides three creative activities--designing a garden, studying hieroglyphics, and writing poetry--relevant to the ancient peoples of the Middle East....
Curated OER
Ancient Story Problems
Pupils research ancient civilizations, and develop story problems using symbols and coins from those times. They retell these story problems using modern terms and coins.
Partnership for Educating Colorado Students
Mayan Mathematics and Architecture
Take young scholars on a trip through history with this unit on the mathematics and architecture of the Mayan civilization. Starting with a introduction to their base twenty number system and the symbols they used, this eight-lesson unit...
Curated OER
Ancient Numerals: Brahmi
In this ancient numerals: Brahmi worksheet, 3rd graders use the symbols given to decode 8 Brahmi equations, then rewrite and solve them using our number system.
Curated OER
Primary History: Roman Shopping
In this Roman lifestyle worksheet, learners read about shopping during Roman times and study the various goods for sale. Students then count the cost for the shopping lists using the Roman numeral chart.
Curated OER
The Romans: Shopping with Roman Numerals
In this Roman shopping worksheet, students solve five shopping problems using a chart showing Roman numerals and Arabic numberals.
Curated OER
Roman Numerals and Their History
Young scholars identify Roman numerals and the history associated with them. In this historical number lesson, students investigate charts and photographs to discover the history of Roman numerals. Young scholars bring a...
Curated OER
The Abacus
The class reads an explanation of the how the ancient calculation tool, the abacus, works. They examine four abacus images and record the number shown on each of them.
Curated OER
Exploring Gullah Culture...Through Language and Numbers
First graders examine the culture of the ancient Gullah people. As a class, they practice saying and writing the days of the week and numbers in Gullah. They are read a Gullah folktale and put the events of the story into the correct...
Curated OER
Egyptian Fractions
You don't have to be an ancient Egyptian to decipher fractions in this activity that focuses on adding fractions with unlike denominators and developing fraction number sense. Egyptians represented fractions differently than we do. They...
Curated OER
Primary Understanding and Use of Place Value
Explore place value and regrouping with your class. They develop awareness of several ancient number systems and how they differ from the base ten system commonly used today. They play "Chip Trading" with partners to practice addition...
Curated OER
Using Roman Numerals: Multiply and Divide
In this Roman Numeral worksheet, students complete 12 problems, multiplication and division, using Roman Numerals to write the answers. Answers included on page 2.
Curated OER
Mayan Math
Fifth graders investigate the Maya's as mathematicians. In this Mayan math lessons, 5th graders work with the ancient Mayan numbering system by comparing it to the American Number System. They tell the differences and similarities...
Curated OER
Sun and Shadows
Why do shadows look different in the summer than in the winter? What causes day and night? How can a sundial be used to tell time? Answer these questions and more through two engaging lessons about light and shadows. Fourth and fifth...
Illustrative Mathematics
The Djinni’s Offer
The djinni in this resource offers gold coins. Learners use the properties of exponents to make their decision as one offer increases exponentially. This makes a great group project. As the commentary suggests, start by having groups...
Curated OER
How Tall Is That Flag Pole?
Pupils examine various triangles and discuss how similar triangles have sides that are proportional. They utilize an ancient Egyptian method to determine the height of a flagpole.
Curated OER
Escher-Esque Tessellations
Middle and high schoolers participate in a seven-part lesson plan creating Escher-Esque tessellations. They demonstrate their knowledge of geometric transformations after viewing a PowerPoint presentation, conducting Internet research,...
US Department of Agriculture
Agriculture Counts
Agricultural survey and the documentation of livestock or goods was the basis for the first written language. Youngsters discuss sorting and counting, and how these skills have been used for thousands of years. They accent their class...
Curated OER
Egyptian Hireroglyphs
Fifth graders identify the aspects of Ancient Egyptians and Heiroglyphs. They compare and contrast Egyptian Hieroglyphs with the decimal number system. Students recognize the decimal number system and compares to bases other than ten.
Curated OER
Mystify with the Mathematics of Ancient Egypt
Hieroglyphics, surveying, and the pyramids may all be explored with mathematics.