How many ways can first graders make a 10? Using an addition chart, learners color in the 10s on the table. They notice and explain the meaning of the pattern, and how to get to another sum of 10.

An addition table supports third graders as they learn strategies to improve their math fluency. When finding sums greater than ten, learners are taught how to first make a ten and then add on the rest. A similar method is also...

Identifying patterns is a crucial skill for all mathematicians, young and old. Explore the multiplication table with your class, using patterns and symmetry to teach about square numbers, prime numbers, and the commutative and identity...

Your mathematician's job is to explore the relationship between hours and miles walked during a walk-a-thon. The activity compels your learners to experiment with different means in finding out this proportional relationship. The answer...

During a walk-a-thon your learners must determine the walking rate of Julianna's progress. Using tables, graphs, and an equation, they must be able to calculate the time it took her to walk one mile and predict her distance based on the...

Who doesn't like a snow day? Learners watch a snow accumulation over a span of 10 hours. They use that information to make a prediction of the total snow that fell during the 23-hour snowfall. Will it be enough to cancel school?

Collaborative learners will see the geometric addition of functions by graphing the sum of two graphed curves on the same coordinate plane. This task then naturally flows into giving learners the algebraic representation of the curves...

A quick discussion question that brings some collaboration into your classroom will allow your thinkers to make a decision about sampling. Mr. Briggs wants to know if the results from his class are a valuable comparison to the entire...

Are you tired of answers without understanding? Learners can give a correct response, but do they really understand the concept? Have young mathematicians think deeper about linear functions, angles, and formulas in algebra....

Potty humor is always a big hit with the school-age crowd, and potty algebra takes this topic to a whole new level. Here the class develops a model that connects the dimensions (radii, paper thickness, and length of paper) of a...

Discover relationships between linear and nonlinear functions. Initially, a set of data seems linear, but upon further exploration, pupils realize the data can model an infinite number of functions. Scholars use multiple representations...

Learners hear wedding bells in this problem set, as they help a fictional bride plan the centerpieces for her wedding reception. Algebra is married to geometry as volume, aesthetics, and budgeting all come into play. Learners are...

Explore a basic pattern to practice writing expressions. In collaborative groups, learners examine a contextual pattern and write an expression to model it. The task encourages groups to describe the pattern in multiple ways.

Analyze patterns and build functions. Young scholars work on their modeling skills with an inquiry-based lesson. After watching a video presentation of the problem, they write functions and make predictions.

Solve a real-life problem using function-building skills. Presented with an open-ended question, scholars complete a checklist to create and justify a solution in an interesting algebra project. The checklist asks for justifications of...

If Earth is modeled by a grapefruit, what planet could be represented by a golf ball? This activity uses everyday and not-so-everyday objects to create a model of the Solar System.

Shed light on the concept of financial literacy with a series of four activities that examines needs vs. wants, gives scholars the opportunity to buy products using paper money, and set goals to save money.

High schoolers begin a discussion on diversity and determine the percent of the population that speak another language at home in the US. Classmates make a prediction of the percentage of people that speak another language at home in...

That would make a lot of cans! Learners analyze a photo of a truckload of aluminum to determine its value. The provided information includes the weight of a smaller block and the dimensions of the larger block. It's up to your...

I like to make enough class books throughout the year so that at the end of the school year, each child gets one book to keep. Here are a few easy ones. For every field trip we take, we make a class book.

Would you work for a penny today? Use this activity to highlight the pattern of increase in an exponential function. Scholars compare two options of being paid: one linear and one exponential. Depending on the number of days worked, they...

Data displays are more than just a bunch of numbers. Small groups access census results and create eye-catching data displays. Teams choose a statistic and collect data points for five locations. Classmates present their infographics to...

Around and around you'll go! Learners analyze the periodic nature of a Ferris wheel. Using a trigonometric function, they make predictions about the location of a specific car at the end of the ride and its total trips around the circle.

Explore the effect of outliers through an analysis of mean, median, and standard deviation. Your classes examine and compare these measures for two groups. They must make sense of a group that has a higher mean but lower median compared...