View LED lights through the eyes of a scientist. Young scholars learn to view light as a wave frequency and connect various frequencies to different colors on the light spectrum. A lab activity asks groups to measure the frequency of...

Could you reinvent the light bulb? Scholars tap into their inner Thomas Edisons to build a light bulb prototype out of a jar and some wires. They see how long the filament wire glows in the jar (batteries not included) to measure their...

Build teamwork skills while building a bridge. Scholars work together in groups to create a bridge out of 20 straws and tape. There is a minimum span length of 25 centimeters, but otherwise, let creativity run wild.

Some planes are just more efficient than others. Young mathematicians use data on the number of seats, airborne speed, flight length, fuel consumption, and operating cost for airplanes to analyze their efficiency. They select and use...

How long can the cable get? A short performance task provides learners with information on the length of cables and the margin of error for each. They must determine the longest and shortest cable possible by splicing these cables.

Find an easier way to double it. Using the price of an item and the Consumer Price Index, learners determine how long it will be for the price to double. Scholars calculate the length of time it would take for the price to double using a...

Plant the fruits of trigonometry. Pairs work through the process of finding the best place to plant fruit trees on a piece of property. The scholars must take into consideration the location of the property and the solar zenith angle. To...

Third graders explore tessellations and the spatial concepts used in creating them.  In this tessellations lesson, 3rd graders rotate, reflect and transform shapes to create tessellations.  Students become familiar with the...

Students are asked what activities or things that they do each day. They are then asked do you do that in the morning, afternoon, or night? Students are then asked which of those things do you do first, second, third, and etc.

In this geometry worksheet, students solve word problems by finding the values of missing angles and missing sides of triangles. They review their trigonometric properties of a right triangle. There are 9 problems with an answer key.

First graders observe ice melting and water evaporating. They experiment with sugar and water and read the poem "Matter Really Matters." They define vocabulary words and sing a matter song.

Eighth graders gain a better understanding of visual distances and estimation. They actively practice using metric measurement and conversion. Students practice cooperative exploring and team building.

Students calculate the mean, median, mode, range, and interquartile range for a set of data. They create a box and whisker plot using paper, pencil and technology.

Learners explore characteristics of mass. In this scientific inquiry about mass lesson, students drop rocks of different weights from various heights and record the depth of the "crater" created.  Learners record their findings on a...

Identify triangles by their angle measures and side lengths by looking at and measuring angle measures and side lengths. Use Cabri Jr. to construct various triangles, then manipulate the construction to create the 6 types of triangles,...

Teach budding mathematicians how to square a triangle with an interactive that shows a graphical proof of the Pythagorean Theorem. Pupils alter the lengths of the legs using sliders. Using the inputted lengths, the applet displays the...

Let your use of the resource be in proportion to its usefulness. Pupils investigate similar triangles by measuring side lengths and considering given angle measures. The results of the investigation help develop generalizations about...

Precise measurements make the job easier! One of the challenges when using an inclined plane for testing comes from pupils not using exact measurements. They often rely on books that slide or different ramp lengths when experimenting. By...

Take the class over the rainbow. Pairs or small groups follow directions to create a spectrograph. The pupils measure the angles formed by the different colors of the spectrum along with calculating the lengths formed by the spectrum and...

A fossil is worth a thousand words! Individuals craft their own amber fossil of an insect in addition to molds and casts of seashells. A third activity takes the lesson a notch higher: Learners measure stride lengths between tracks and...

Learners investigate properties of similar figures. In this properties of similar figures lesson, pupils construct similar figures using Cabri Jr. They dilate their figure to create a similar one, and discuss the relationships between...

Students cut yarn into several different lengths and fold paper in half, using skills for measuring and fractions. Then they use unconventional items (yarn) as tools to create mirror-image art and experience first-hand the math idea of...

Young mathematicians use the Visual Thesaurus to define mean, median, and mode. In this mean, median and mode lesson, learners use online sources to find the definitions of mean, median, and mode before applying the concepts to a class...

Who needs a compass to find cardinal directions? Just place a stick in the ground and record the movement of its shadow over the course of a day. Then, measure the shadow lengths in order to determine a north-south line. A simple...