Teams must determine the size of cavern needed to house the citizens of Alabraska to protect them from the asteroid impact. Using scaling properties, teams first determining the number of people that could sleep in a classroom and then...

When you buy a home for $100,000, you pay $100,000—right?  On the list of important things for individuals to understand, the lesson presents the concept of interest rates and loan amortization using spreadsheets and online sources....

Long considered the symbol of safe harbor and steadfast waiting, the lighthouse gets a mathematical treatment. The straightforward question of distance to the horizon is carefully presented, followed by a look into the...

Don't allow your pupils to become outliers! As learners examine normal distributions by calculating z-scores, they compare outcomes by analyzing the z-scores for each. 

Class members create their own social networks by collecting signatures before graphing the interactions with their fellow classmates. The degree distribution of the simulated social network is determined by calculating the degree of...

Roll with your class into the idea of conservation of energy. Pupils use a roller coaster track to collect data to reinforce the concept of conservation of energy and the influence of friction. Class members then create a graph from...

Let your class bounce to examine the concept elastic potential energy. Individuals bounce on a pogo stick in order to calculate its elastic potential energy. Groups then compare the elastic potential energy to the gravitational...

Santa sure is fast. In the assessment task, learners calculate the number of minutes Santa can spend at each house. This calculation requires the use of given population demographics data.

Substances with the same empirical and molecular formula must be differentiated by their structural formula. Part two in a series of 36 has pupils using chemical formulas to calculate how much of a compound is present in a given...

Use measures of variance to compare and analyze data sets. Pupils match histograms of data sets to their respective statistical measures. They then use calculated statistics to further analyze groups of data and use the results to make...

How does your lifestyle measure up in terms of your ecological footprint? Young ecologists examine their impact on the planet using an insightful online calculator. A short quiz asks users to rank the size of their homes, their energy...

You are used to teaching repeating decimals with bar notation that keeps us from writing that number over and over again; now teach what the over and over again represents. This activity allows your mathematicians to explore the infinite...

This page includes a space to write in the date, but what does the date even mean? And where does it come from? Inform your class about the various calendars and how the Western calendar came into widespread use with an informational...

Young analysts use real (provided) data from a class's test scores to practice using statistical tools. Not only do learners calculate measures of center and spread (including mean, median, deviation, and IQ range), but...

The class gets to practice being a mathematician in ancient Greece, performing geometric application problems in the way of Eratosthenes. After following the steps of the great mathematicians, they then compare the (surprisingly...

Make a connection between different types of interest and how they are calculated! This algebra II lesson progresses from simple interest to compound interest to continually compounded interest. Formulas are developed rather than given,...

Is 0.56 stronger than -0.78? Interpret the correlation coefficient as the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables. An algebra lesson introduces the correlation coefficient by estimating and then...

How can you determine the maximum speed of a sailboat? A sailing presentation included with a straightforward lesson plan prompts learners to calculate the maximum speed of a sailboat with a displacement hull. The...

How high will it bounce? Groups determine the height different balls bounce off of different surfaces. By performing the necessary calculations, they determine the initial and final momentum of the balls. The included worksheet provides...

Get into the swing of things. Pupils use a pendulum to demonstrate the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy and back. After measuring the speed of a pendulum and compare it to the calculated theoretical speed, they...

What occurs when a hydrate is heated? Lead your class in exploring the answer to this question as they investigate the properties of a hydrated compound. They heat copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and evaporate the water...

Elasticity and viscosity. Help your class understand the similarities and differences with an introduction to viscous fluids. After describing four types of fluid behaviors: shear thinning, shear thickening, Bringham plastic,...

Mass and density — aren't they the same thing? This activity has groups use balance beams and water displacement to measure several objects. The pupils use the measurements to calculate the density of the objects. 

Teach adolescents to use credit responsibly. The 32nd installment of a 35-part module covers how to calculate credit card payments using a geometric series. It teaches terminology and concepts necessary to understand credit card debt.