Curated OER
Triangle's Interior Angles
Given a pair of parallel lines and a triangle in between, geometers prove that the sum of the interior angles is 180 degrees. This quick quest can be used as a pop quiz or exit ticket for your geometry class.
Curated OER
Population and Food Supply
What does it mean for something to grow exponentially, and how does that compare to linear growth? This activity tries to help learners gain an understanding of these concepts while modeling real-world problems. Linear and exponential...
Illustrative Mathematics
Pennies to Heaven
Even though pennies seem to be relatively thin, stack enough of them into a single stack, and you could have quite a high stack. Enough so, that the final result can be a surprise to you as well as your class. This activity centers...
Illustrative Mathematics
Battle Ship Using Grid Paper
You sank my battleship! The iconic cry of the time-honored game, Battleship will be heard in classrooms with this learning game that requires only grid paper, pencils, and an introductory knowledge of the first quadrant of the coordinate...
Illustrative Mathematics
Dividing by One-Half
Understanding when to divide by two or one-half can be confusing. Here is an activity that gives four different scenarios. It is up to your number crunchers to decide if they divide by two or one-half. The easiest way to approach the...
Illustrative Mathematics
The Geometry of Letters
Use the alphabet as a tool for teaching your class about geometric figures. Break apart capital letters into line segments and arcs. Classify angles as right, acute, or obtuse. Identify parallel and perpendicular lines. An excellent...
Illustrative Mathematics
Who is the Tallest?
A simple question, with a not-so-simple answer. Working with whole and mixed number measurements in inches, feet, and yards presents a problem with many possible solutions. A great activity that challenges the minds of young...
Illustrative Mathematics
What is a Trapezoid? (Part 1)
Challenge your class to construct a definition for trapezoids. Looking at four examples and four non-examples, students individually create definitions and use them to classify an unknown shape. Allow for small group and whole-class...
Illustrative Mathematics
Comparing Snow Cones
Everyone wants to have the biggest snow cone possible, so would that be in cone-shaped cup or a more cylinder-style cup? Hungry geometry juniors compute the volume of each in this practical task.
Curated OER
Areas of Geometric Shapes with the Same Perimeter
A triangle, square, hexagon, and circle all have a perimeter of one unit. Eighth graders must attempt to find the area of each and arrange them in order from least to greatest areas. A terrific task for applying four different...
Curated OER
Partitioning a Hexagon
The task at hand is to partition a hexagon into two, four, and eight congruent figures. Make sure to give your wizards a sheet of triangle grid paper on which to decompose the hexagons. Have them explain which rotations, reflections, or...
Curated OER
Glasses
Provide your class some practice with the dimensions of geometric figures. Here you have a set of three different-shaped, stemmed drinking glasses with diameters and heights provided. Math-minded individuals calculate the volume of each....
Illustrative Mathematics
Waiting Times
Probability prevails in this assignment as youngsters determine the probability of finding a blue pen in a cereal box when they can come in blue, green, yellow, or red. Learners set up a simulation to determine the outcome of compound...
Curated OER
Estimating the Mean State Area
Seventh grade statisticians randomly select five states and then determine the mean area. The class then works together to create a dot plot of their results.
Curated OER
How Fast is Usain Bolt?
Revisit the 2012 Summer Olympics by having seventh graders calculate the unit rate sprinting speed of the 100-meter gold medal winner.
Illustrative Mathematics
Oakland Coliseum
Help algebra learners relate a real-life function that happens at the Oakland Coliseum every time the Raiders play. The resource states that the revenue of the Oakland Raiders home games is a function of the number of seats sold and the...
Curated OER
Shipping Rolled Oats
What better way to start your day than with a box of oatmeal? Or what better way to start your geometry class than by calculating its volume? Eighth graders discover just how practical volume computation can be in business and in breakfast!
Curated OER
Hand Span and Height
Is there a relationship between hand span width and height? Statisticians survey each other by taking measurements of both. A table that can hold data for 24 individuals is printed onto the worksheet, along with questions for analysis....
Curated OER
Compounding with 100% Interest Rates
Your young economists will be amazed at the effect of compounding interest more frequently in this collaborative task about making sound financial choices. Learners are walked through the calculations of a couple of examples and then...
Curated OER
Two Squares are Equal
This problem is sure to get your young mathematicians thinking. The idea sounds simple: one equation, solve it as many ways as you can. This is meant to get at a deeper understanding of solving quadratic equations, including some more...
Illustrative Mathematics
Listing Fractions in Increasing Size
Increase the depth of your class's fractional number sense with this number-ordering activity. Given four fractions, each with different numerators and denominators, young learners are asked to place them in order from smallest to...
Illustrative Mathematics
Boxes and Cartons of Pencils
Boxes and cartons of pencils are a natural, real-world example for understanding bundles of ten and their relationship to a hundred. When you have many cartons, you can discuss place value, and how to represent multiple hundreds.
Curated OER
Counting Mat
Using the provided counting mats (1-6 and 7-12) and small objects to count with, guide your young learners to match the correct number of objects to the written numeral and dots. Class members will either read the numeral and count out...
Illustrative Mathematics
Jim and Jesse's Money
Jim and Jesse started their road trip with the same amount of money. Your class must find the amount of money each one had given, the amount of money spent, and the ratio of money at the end. This is a comprehensive problem that...