Polar Trec
Foraging for Fish in a Melting Arctic
How much do you know about the black guillemot of the Arctic region? With great background information, images, and a quick discussion, the class will learn all about the plight of the foraging seabird as they play a fun game. First,...
Curated OER
All About Me
Using technology, learners create and deliver a multimedia autobiographical presentation to present to the class. This ambitious lesson has learners use a variety of sources both old and new; magazines, poster board, the Internet, and...
Curated OER
Plotting Earthquakes
Students plot earthquakes on a map. In this lesson on earthquakes, students will explore recent earthquake activity in California and Nevada. Students will plot fault lines and earthquake occurrences on a map.
Polar Trec
Playground Profiling—Topographic Profile Mapping
The Kuril islands stretch from Japan to Russia, and the ongoing dispute about their jurisdiction prevents many scientific research studies. Scholars learn to create a topographic profile of a specific area around their schools. Then they...
EngageNY
Ordered Pairs
Scholars learn to plot points on the coordinate plane. The instructional activity introduces the idea that the first coordinate of a coordinate pair represents the horizontal distance and the second coordinate represents the vertical...
Curated OER
The Reason for the Seasons
Students compare graphs of their data that was generated on a NASA website. In this seasons lesson students complete a lab activity.
EngageNY
More Examples of Functions
Discrete or not discrete? Individuals learn about the difference between discrete and non-discrete functions in the fourth installment of a 12-part module. They classify some examples of functions as being either discrete or non-discrete.
EngageNY
Graphs of Functions and Equations
Explore the graphs of functions and equations with a resource that teaches scholars how to graph functions as a set of input-output points. They learn how the graph of a function is the graph of its associated equation.
EngageNY
Characterize Points on a Perpendicular Bisector
Learn transformations through constructions! Pupils use perpendicular bisectors to understand the movement of a reflection and rotation. They discover that the perpendicular bisector(s) determine the line of reflection and the...
Curated OER
Planets in Our Solar System
Each member of a four-student group takes on a specific aspect of an assigned planet to research. After gathering information, the team works together to create a travel brochure and a presentation intended to convince other classmates...
K20 LEARN
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie: Conditional Statements
If, then, Else is not only a basic programming language command, it is also the basis for conditional statements used in writing. Middle schoolers try to craft conditional statements with a card sort activity and then collaborate on a...
California Academy of Science
Earthquakes and Tectonic Plates
Here is a comprehensive package in which middle schoolers learn about types of seismic waves, triangulation, and tectonic plate boundaries. Complete vocabulary, colorful maps, and a worksheet are included via links on the webpage. You...
K20 LEARN
Multimodal Narrative Writing: Thumbprint Autobiography
Thumbprints, like people, are unique. Middle schoolers watch videos that explain how fingerprints are created and why they are unique. Learners then respond to guiding questions about themselves and use these details to create their...
Curated OER
The History of Life on Earth
Using meters as years, your class works together to map out the geologic time scale on a football field. Plenty of background information is included in this lesson plan as well as several resource links and a student worksheet. Your...
EngageNY
Unknown Angles
How do you solve an equation like trigonometry? Learners apply their understanding of trigonometric ratios to find unknown angles in right triangles. They learn the meaning of arcsine, arccosine, and arctangent. Problems include...
EngageNY
Introduction to Simultaneous Equations
Create an understanding of solving problems that require more than one equation. The lesson plan introduces the concept of systems of linear equations by using a familiar situation of constant rate problems. Pupils compare the graphs of...
EngageNY
Positive and Negative Numbers on the Number Line—Opposite Direction and Value
Make your own number line ... using a compass. The first installment of a 21-part series has scholars investigate positive and negative integers on a number line by using a compass to construct points that are the same distance from zero...
Curated OER
Getting it Right! An Investigation of the Pythagorean Theorem
In order to learn about the Pythagorean Theorem, young mathematicians investigate relations and patterns between different sides of a right triangle to look for possible relations among the squared sides. Once they have established the...
Curated OER
Stadiums in America
Let's play ball! A great springtime activity to learn about ratios. This activity challenges learners to draw stadiums to scale on standard letter paper and also on construction paper. This three-day lesson includes a pre-assessment...
Curated OER
Playground Mapping
Students convert their physical models of a playground from a previous lesson into a map of the playground that includes a scale and key. They examine and discuss examples of maps, view an image to map photo essay, and create a map using...
Curated OER
Reading Graphs
Working independently or in teams, your class practices connecting graphs, formulas and words. This lesson includes a guided discussion about distance vs. time graphs and looking at how velocity changes over time.
EngageNY
Arc Length and Areas of Sectors
How do you find arc lengths and areas of sectors of circles? Young mathematicians investigate the relationship between the radius, central angle, and length of intercepted arc. They then learn how to determine the area of sectors of...
EngageNY
The Opposite of a Number's Opposite
It's said that opposites attract, but what about opposites of opposites? Individuals learn about the opposite of opposites using number lines. They complete a group activity in which members determine the opposite of opposites of...
Messenger Education
Can You Hear Me Now?—Communicating with Spacecraft
Radio signals transmitted to Pluto take five hours to reach their destination! In these two activities, young scientists explore data communication in space. In activity one, pupils learn how data is gathered and sent back to Earth....