Through watching several classic air pressure demonstrations, middle schoolers determine that high pressure areas move toward lower pressure areas, heated air causes a drop in pressure, and forces exist when pressures are unequal....

Serve four towns with one bus route. Pupils develop a bus route that meets certain criteria to serve four towns. They determine which of the routes would best serve all of them. Individuals then hypothesize where a fifth town should be...

Determine the average on a curve. The class finds graphical representations of averages and expresses them both symbolically and on the graph. The assessment requires class members to justify using average to describe graphs.

Interestingly enough, movement is not a characteristic of living things. The first activity in a series of 20 introduces learners to the concepts of living versus non-living things and then focuses on biologists and what they study....

Develop scales using tables. Pupils complete charts to show equivalent scale factors before using the completed tables to determine the sizes of scale drawings. They finish the lesson and demonstrate their understanding by completing a...

Is it a right triangle or not? Introduce scholars to the converse of the Pythagorean Theorem with a lesson plan that also provides a proof by contradiction of the converse. Pupils use the converse to determine whether triangles with...

An assessment presents a variety of equations and inequalities. Pupils must find two solutions for each equation or inequality and determine whether there are only two, another finite number, or an infinite number of solutions...

Class members must determine the best phone plan for customers. by assessing three different phone plans. Each plan price depends not only the number of minutes, but also the location of the calls — bringing in a third variable. Scholars...

Is there one, none, or more? Through discussion or activity, scholars find the properties of an equation that will determine the number of solutions. They then use the properties discovered to figure out the number of solutions...

Determine what the class knows about linear equations. The three-question mid-module assessment is segment 15 in a 33-part series. The assessment includes writing and solving one-variable linear equations and graphing proportional...

Class members take scale drawings and examine scales to determine distances in the actual objects. Pupils convert the scales of different units to scale factors that can be used in proportional equations.

Not all relationships with a pattern are proportional. Show your class why in the fourth installment of a 22-part series. The lesson builds upon previous parts and has pupils analyze tables to determine whether they represent a...

Enlargements and reductions are all about scale. The lesson introduces scale drawing to the class. Pupils determine whether the drawing is a reduction or an enlargement, and the constant of proportionality between the original and the...

Can it be constructed? The task poses the question whether it is possible to have an equilateral triangle with its vertices located at integer coordinates. Pupils work with their knowledge of trigonometric ratios and the Pythagorean...

When presented with categorical data, a two-way frequency table is a great way to summarize the information. Pupils organize categorical data using a two-way table, then use the tables to determine missing data and to calculate simple...

Use properties to evaluate several multiplications and divisions. The 16th lesson in a series of 25 demonstrates to scholars how they can utilize properties of operations to evaluate complex numerical expressions involving multiplication...

A seven-question assessment determines how well your learners understand the procedures to add, subtract, multiply, and divide signed rational numbers. Pupils show their understanding through problem-solving situations. 

What do skateboarding and baked goods have in common with math? You can use them to connect half-pipe ramps and cakes to arcs and sectors. Pupils compare the lengths of three different ramp options of a skate park. They calculate the...

Cultivate the tree of knowledge using diagrams with two stages. Pupils create small tree diagrams to determine the sample space in compound probability problems. The lesson uses only two decision points to introduce tree diagrams. 

Pre-assessments are great to help teachers determine what information their classes lack, what misconceptions they have, and how in depth to teach specific concepts. The first in a five-part series is a pre-assessment of middle...

What goes up when rain comes down? An umbrella! Activity eight in the series of 12 explores weather and climate. In pairs, participants analyze maps, watch a short video, create a weather forecast, and complete a reading to determine the...

To plot a point in the coordinate plane, you first need a coordinate plane. Pupils learn to draw an appropriate set of axes with labels on a coordinate plane. They must also determine a reasonable scale to plot given coordinate pairs on...

Solve a matrix in code—color code. Pupils use the interactive resource to set up the matrix equation and its solution path. Scholars use the created solution path to determine the entries of the 2 X 2 solution.

What size is the product of two matrices? Individuals determine that two matrices that can be multiplied and their resulting matrix by connecting them in the interactive resource. They make a generalization about the sizes of...